The House of the Howling Moon
by xAkix
Summary: Part Three of the Mei Lhi Saga: IT'S FINALLY HERE! Read and review please, and also, please read parts 1 & 2 if you haven't. CHAPTER THIRTY IS UP! The war for the East is about to begin.
1. Memories

Part Three of the Saga…Started Monday, May 01, 2006 at 6:15 PDT

_The House of the Howling Moon_

**A/N:** I know everyone's been anxious for this one, so here it is finally. And thankfully I can start it since my workload is lightening. So yay! Disclaimer shall be read by…Aijii!

Aijii: Aki does not own Inuyasha, along with all the other references to whatever it is she has made or will make in this fic. So whatever she doesn't own belongs to the people who really own it, not her. Now, without further adieu, here's the first chapter and the conclusion of that evil cliffhanger.

* * *

Chapter One: Memories

"AIJII!" Kagome screamed, running as fast as her legs would allow in effort to protect her son.

Aijii turned, seeing a battle-scarred face with a crazed expression, the man's sword poised for an attack that if successful, would have sliced his head clean off.

"Okaa-san…" The boy whispered, his eyes wide and fearful.

White permeated his sight, and the next thing he knew, Toji stood before him, his arm parrying the swordsman's blow. The blade shattered upon making contact with the life spirit boy's arm. Aijii's attackers were stunned, and in their period of shock, the two of them ran, leaving their threat of "We'll come back for you soon, little boy!" behind them as they vanished.

Then Aijii's eyes snapped open. It was only a dream, a dream of that day. He sighed, peeling the blankets off his perspiring body. It took him a moment to reassure himself that that day had come and gone. He rose from his bed, yawning and stretching, crossing his bedroom to the mirror where sure enough, his fourteen-year-old self stared back at him. Idly, he glanced at the clock. Nine o'clock glared back at him in red digits. If he hadn't been on summer vacation, he would have leapt out of his skin for if today had been a school day, he would've been two hours late. With a sigh, he dressed, heading downstairs where breakfast awaited.

The scent of eggs and sausages hit his nose and his stomach gave an audible growl. He made his way to the kitchen where his mother stood at the stove, one hand holding the frying pan steady while the other prodded and flipped at the food with a spatula in the other.

"Ohayou, Okaa-chan," Aijii greeted.

His mother turned and with a smile she replied, "Ohayou, Aijii. Breakfast is almost ready."

Aijii smiled and nodded, his eyes on his mother.

-

"_Kon'nichi wa, Sesshoumaru-oji-san…" Shippou greeted, going into a deep bow._

"_Kon'nichi wa…" The taiyoukai responded, raising an eyebrow, curious about his nephew's sudden behavior._

"_Sesshoumaru-oji-san…I…I have done a terrible thing. But…I don't regret this thing that I have done," Shippou began, his voice shaking, every inch of him quivering with fear._

"_What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked, sounding somewhat impatient._

"_Please, you must promise you'll forgive me and not be angry with me after I tell you. You may hate me for it, and you can punish me for it. But please, punish only me! The rest of my family doesn't need to pay for my mistakes!" The kitsune exclaimed._

_The demon lord sighed, "Hai, I promise. Now, tell me what you have done…"_

"_I-I'm afraid that…that I have ruined your daughter…"_

"_Nani!"_

_The taiyoukai was furious, so furious to the point where his amber-gold orbs briefly flashed crimson. Fangs bared, and brow furrowed with anger, eyes full of hate, he looked upon the kitsune, his unfeeling eyes, cutting into the boy's core like a piercing sword._

"_Please! Let me explain, Sesshoumaru-oji-san!" The kitsune cried, finding his emotions overwhelming him as hot pools of regret began to form at the brim of his eyes._

"_You've done something unforgivable. You have taken something that can never be returned! She was going to be married! Now I must inform the family that my daughter was pre-owned! That my own baka kusotare of a nephew bedded my own daughter to satiate his own lust! I do hope it was worth it. And now you have the nerve to ask me to allow you to explain your actions? How can I acquiesce to such a plea? There is no explanation for this!"_

"_You must allow it! Just…give me this chance to redeem myself in your eyes! Just this once! This will be all I'll ask of you, Oji-san! Even if you don't want to listen, I'll make you listen! You have to know why!" Shippou yelled, the tears now streaming down his face._

_The kitsune dropped to his knees, sobbing violently. "Please…let me explain…let me try and fix this, Oji-san…" he begged._

_Sesshoumaru's eyes stared coldly into his nephew's desperate ones. The taiyoukai stared and stared, his eyes boring into the boy's for as long as an eternity it seemed._

"_Pathetic fool…" The taiyoukai said finally, his tone flat and emotionless. "I suppose I shall allow you this request…it will be your last you'll ever make."_

_Shippou slowly nodded, attempting to swallow the lump of pain and guilt that had welled up in his throat. "I…I have always cared about Rin…ever since we were young, Oji-san. I have loved her since I learned what love is. I've-I've always looked after her, always helped her when she needed it. I was her best friend. I was always there when she needed me…and on that day when I did what I did, she was in tears because of what you said to her about Tsukimisou. She thought that her own father didn't care enough about his own child to bring her back if her body was recovered. She hated you then. All she wanted then was to cry out her pain until her tears would no longer come. And I let her…but then the tears didn't stop. I did the only thing I thought would help, or at least make her smile again. I hated to see her so hurt like that. I kissed her, Oji-san. I don't regret it. Not even for a moment. I got to tell her that day how much I loved her. And I learned that day that she felt the same. I love her, Oji-san. That's all there is to it…and she loves me…" The boy said, getting to his feet, staring at his uncle, his eyes gazing intently into the taiyoukai's as another tear made its way down his cheek._

"_Lies! How can I believe such treachery?" Sesshoumaru said angrily, drawing his sword in a single fluid motion._

_As if on cue, Rin rushed into the room. "No! Stop it, Chichiue!" she screamed, rushing forward as quickly as she could, putting herself between Shippou and the sword. _

"_Rin!" Shippou and Sesshoumaru both exclaimed in unison, their voices sounding alarmed._

"_Chichiue, if you kill him for what he did, then you'll have to kill me with him! I want to be with him, Chichiue!" The girl shouted angrily, protectively wrapping her arms around the kitsune tightly, as if she were afraid to let go. "I love him! And if you can't accept that, then I'll leave you too! Like Tsuki-chan did! If that's what it takes, then I'll do it!" _

_Stunned, the taiyoukai lowered his sword, not saying a word. He simply stared, fury boiling within him, his anger barely being suppressed._

"_Very well. If this is the fate that you have chosen to condemn yourselves to…" He said finally, his own voice sounding oddly harsh. "Then I won't stand in your way. Now get out, both of you." _

_Rin's eyes softened and she took a small fearful step towards her father. "Chi-Chichiue…?" she whispered, her feeble voice quavering._

_The taiyoukai turned to look at her, before quickly glancing away._

"_Chichiue…please…I didn't want it to be this way. I-I never wanted it to happen like this…but Chichiue, you must understand something. I'm not seven years old anymore. It's been ten years since then. I'm not as foolish as I was then. I know better now. I'm grown up. And it's time for you to let me go, Chichiue. Things like these just happen, and we just have to accept it. I'm sure you know better than anyone that life never wants to go according to plan. Please Chichiue, you must understand…"_

_Sesshoumaru sighed. She was right._

"_Hai…" he replied, his tone soft and somewhat regretful. "I understand…"_

_Shippou at last found the courage to speak. "Oji-san…I…anno…I want to marry her."_

_The taiyoukai turned to face him with a smirk. "One step at a time, you baka kusotare. You can't marry her if she's already been promised to someone else. I'll have to make some arrangements and end those plans. I'll tell them that the engagement is off." He said, giving a polite nod to the two of them before walking out. _

A much older Shippou sighed. It had been one hell of a day. It happened so long ago…yet the memory was still fresh in his mind. It was one of those things that always stuck with you, no matter how much time had passed. Time wouldn't heal these wounds. He'd bare the battle scars of the past for the rest of his life.

"Daijoubu ka, anata?" Rin asked.

"I'm fine…it's just…it's been seven years since we found out about what happened…" He began to reply, only to trail off, realizing it wouldn't be the best thing to say.

Rin nodded understandingly. "Hai…it's been a long time since then, ne? We should be happy. It's what she would've wanted. For us to live happy lives. Not grieve for those who have left us…"

"I'm so lucky to have you as a wife."

"I'm even luckier to have you for a husband."

"Rin-"

"Shhh…don't talk. Rest. Tomorrow's a big day."

-

Sixteen-year-old Tsurugi walked through the woods, his amber-gold eyes scanning the area back and forth quickly. His father's training to be a taiyoukai hadn't been a picnic. He looked around, trying to spot the target that his father had assigned for him. Yet it seemed the harder he looked, the more his target seemed to elude him.

"_Stay completely calm, Tsurugi…"_

His father's voice echoed in his mind. Determined, the boy continued searching.

"_Focus, don't let your thoughts hinder you. In matters of life and death, this moment is crucial."_

A twig snapped under someone's weight. Tsurugi's eyes snapped to the spot where the noise had been. Carefully, the young demon lord took a silent step towards the sound.

"_When the time is right, commence an attack on your enemy. Be quick and discreet."_

Tsurugi nodded, his father's instructions still in his mind. The sound of rustling in the bushes reached his ears. The sound was closely followed by rushing footsteps. In a single fluid motion, Tsurugi drew his sword, and in a flash, the end of the blade was pressed against the neck of his would-be attacker.

"Good, Tsurugi-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama has taught you well!" The servant, or 'target', exclaimed excitedly, gently pushing away the boy's sword. "I'm sure your father will be pleased. That was a new record for you, Tsurugi-sama! Just five seconds!"

'_Five seconds?_' Tsurugi thought, bewildered. '_It felt like I was here for hours, days, years! It seemed like so long…but five seconds…kuso. If it felt too long to me, then anyone would've felt they had plenty of time to attack and kill me._' At this, Tsurugi sighed.

He had a long way to go until he could compare to his father, who could locate, track, and eliminate a target in less than two seconds. If Tsurugi's memory served him well, Sesshoumaru could do exactly what he had done in five seconds in half a second or sometimes even less than that.

"Come Tsurugi-sama. I believe we've trained enough today." The servant said, jarring the boy from his rather somber thoughts.

"Hai…" he whispered quietly with a small nod, following the servant inside.

-

"_Your new name is Tanaka Arisu. You are Tsukimisou no longer. If we have a Taisho Tsukimisou wandering about, you'll be found in no time. Now, the other girl that lives here with us, her name is Haku. From here on out, you've entered the lifestyle of a geisha. First, you cannot love anyone. And if you do, love them in private. Never seek them out or draw men to you, also you shouldn't let men draw you to them either. Do you understand this?" Reika explained slowly._

"_Hai, Reika-chan." Tsukimisou, now Arisu, answered._

"_Another thing, never call me 'Reika' again. I'm 'Haruka' here, Reika is just the past me, when I would kill…and perform my duty…Haruka is all that's left. She's the one who lives the geisha life, not Reika."_

_The Inuyoukai girl nodded in understanding, unable to find words to speak._

"_Alright, you're going to start chores with Haku tomorrow morning. You'd better get a good night's sleep. Work hard, and Mother may decide to send you to school to be a geisha."_

"_Wait, you mean I'm not one already?" The girl said incredulously._

"_No. You're not worth much more than a lowly maid right now. In order to be a geisha, you have to work your way up to be one. Just because you come to an okiya, it doesn't mean you automatically become one. In a sense, you have to earn it. Now come on, it's late enough already, I have to show you where you're sleeping…"_

_Haruka led the way up the stairs and stopped below a trapdoor on the ceiling. She reached up and pulled a thin silk cord, and a wooden staircase unfolded at their feet. Haruka cautiously stepped onto the first stair and climbed, then motioned for the girl to follow, who came up the stairs just as carefully as the violet-eyed geisha had._

"_Oi…Haku! Get up!" Haruka hissed._

_The sound of someone crawling from their bedding reached their ears, followed by quick, soft steps._

"_Hai, Haruka-san, what is it?" A girl's voice asked._

"_Haku-chan…we have a new arrival. Her name is Arisu. I'm sure you'll help her as best you can?"_

_Haku nodded very quickly, her determined eyes flashing with pride. "Hai, Haruka-san!"_

"_Good. Now, you have chores early in the morning tomorrow. Don't start Arisu-chan off with anything too difficult. Get some rest while you can. And don't worry about greeting Hatsumomo when she comes back in. I'll wait for her long enough to drag her sorry drunken self up the stairs and lock the door for the rest of the night. But don't expect me for long in the morning either. I have an early engagement, so try and avoid Hatsumomo as best you can until I get back because I'm certain she'll be quite hung over and in a very bad mood. Alright?" The geisha explained quickly, her face serious. _

_The two girls nodded in reply, and Haruka departed down the stepladder. Haku silently moved to the side of the room and unrolled a spare futon and hung it over the window sill and began to beat the dust out of it before she dragged it back inside and laid it on the floor._

"_You'll sleep here." The girl said flatly._

_Arisu nodded and obediently crawled into the bed and found that sleep took her immediately._

_-_

"Kaa-chan, we're going now!" Aijii called from the front door.

"So soon?" Kagome asked, her voice apprehensive.

"Don't worry Kaa-chan, we'll be okay. We just want to go visit Miroku-oji-san and Sango-oba-san! We might even stop by Sesshoumaru-oji-san's place!" Aijii replied reassuringly.

"Alright, just be careful, ne? Don't do anything your father would do."

Inuyasha was standing nearby and looked slightly offended. "Oi!" He protested.

Kagome smiled warmly at him, before refocusing her attention to her son. "And absolutely _no_ funny business!" she said, her face set in a stern look to prove her point.

Aijii's face flushed with hot embarrassment before he retorted with a beet-red face, "MOM! I KNOW!"

"Alright, have a good time. I'll see you in a week."

Aijii waved and opened the front door, seeing his best friends Kago and Yuri about to ring the bell.

"Oh, well, we're leaving now?" Kago asked, sounding a bit bewildered.

"Yup." Aijii replied proudly.

"Who else is going with us?"

"Hell, I can't even remember now…" The boy muttered, sounding a bit frustrated.

The trio began walking before quick footsteps reached their ears.

"Aijii! You jerk! You were going to leave without me! I told you to wait for me!" Aijii's younger sister Satsu said angrily.

"Well you were only taking half a year. It's not my fault you're so damn slow." Aijii replied, sounding irritated while rolling his eyes.

"I wanted to look nice! Is there a problem with that?" Satsu demanded.

"God! You're so vain, Satsu! Yuri-chan doesn't even worry about that stupid stuff!" The boy exclaimed, sounding very annoyed.

"Well, Yuri-chan _always_ looks pretty! I got cursed with an ugly face!"

Aijii merely rolled his eyes and emitted a cough which sounded oddly like 'sisters…'

Together they reached the shrine that housed the enchanted Bone-Eater's Well and the four of them quickly jumped inside.

-

Tsurugi sighed contentedly as he sipped at some cool water, lazily lounging in the shade of a large tree.

"Shouldn't you be somewhere?" The voice of Tsurugi's father asked.

The boy sprang to his feet at once, bowing politely to greet his father.

"I don't remember Chichiue. I apologize. Today's training session is still in my thoughts."

Sesshoumaru smirked, nodding in understanding. "Your friends are arriving today, around this time…and you said you'd go and meet them." He replied.

"Oh hai! Arigatou Chichiue! I'll be leaving now, I don't want them to be wondering where I am!" Tsurugi called back to his father as he sprinted off before gaining speed and moving so fast so that all you could see was a zipping orb of light.

-

"Tsurugi's late. He probably forgot about us…" Aijii grumbled.

"Nah, he's already here." Kago said, his eyes set upon on a bright speeding orb.

The orb slowed and came to a stop, revealing Tsurugi.

"Sorry I'm late, minna-san. I had to train today…" The boy apologized.

"About time!" Aijii exclaimed, sounding relieved. "Now, where should we go?"

Satsu shrugged her shoulders, and sighed. Tsurugi glanced at each of them, seeing their blank expressions, he too sighed.

"We can at least stop in and say hello to the people in the village." Kago suggested. "You know how Tsuyu gets when we're in the area and don't stop by…"

Inwardly, everyone shuddered fearfully, recalling the very Sango-like temper the girl had.

"Poor Minoru…I bet he gets half-beaten to death whenever that girl goes into heat." Tsurugi said sympathetically.

Together they all agreed, heading towards the village, the greetings of the villagers reaching their ears.

-

"_Arisu! Go get the water! Hurry! Before Hatsumomo's bath goes cold! You have to climb onto the roof and pour it into the big pipe up there. Don't fall." Haku said, motioning towards two wooden pails filled to the brim with scalding hot water._

"_Hai!" Arisu exclaimed, scurrying over and lifting the pails with feigned difficulty._

_The girl had never been so happy to have been a youkai. Thanks to her strength she hadn't messed up or broken anything, and Mother was quite pleased that she hadn't built up a debt to the okiya on the account of clumsiness._

_Arisu ceased faking her struggle once she was out of Haku's line of sight and continued up to the roof with ease and dumped the buckets into the pipe before skipping back downstairs to continue working._

_She'd been working for many months, trying to survive life with Hatsumomo, and of course making a good impression on mother. Apparently, it was working._

"_Arisu-chan…Mother wants to see you." Haruka called._

_Quickly the girl rushed to Mother's room, opening the door and bowing low._

"_I have some good news for you Tanaka Arisu…" Mother began, pausing to keep suspense in the air. "I'm quite pleased with your dedication and hard work. So…I have decided that you are worthy to become a geisha. You'll begin your lessons and go to the school with Haku three days a week. I'll get you a kimono, but you have to be sure that you aren't late. Otherwise you'll be in quite a bit of trouble. Understood?"_

"_Hai! Arigatou gozaimasu, Mother!" The girl exclaimed, bowing lower before excusing herself from the room._

_-_

"It's so great to see you again, minna-san!" Miroku greeted warmly as all the guests filtered into the room.

Sango looked up at them all and smiled. "Minoru! Tsuyu! Guess who's stopped by?" she called.

Quick pairs of footsteps approached and Minoru emerged in a split-second, his sister Tsuyu on his tail.

"Aijii-kun!" Tsuyu exclaimed, rushing up to hug the young teen.

Poor Aijii was nearly tackled to the floor from the force of the girl's hug, but was nonetheless glad to see her. Aijii and Minoru gave one another a polite nod, in a way asking the other 'What's up?'

"Good to see you again." Minoru said simply with a grin. "Hey there, Satsu. How you been?" he asked.

"Pretty good, and yourself?" Satsu replied.

"Not too bad…" The boy answered, noticing the bags that his friends were carrying. "Where are you all headed off to?" he inquired.

"We're going on a little trip, we're just gonna wander around the Sengoku Jidai and go sight-seeing." Aijii answered proudly.

"Sounds fun, too bad I can't go. I've got to help out at the shrine here, the Sunset Shrine," Minoru said, sounding a bit weary.

"WHAT? Did you say _Sunset_ Shrine?" Satsu blurted out, in shock.

"Yeah what about it?"

"That's Baa-chan's house!" Aijii and Satsu said in unison, both in equal amounts of surprise.

"What a coincidence. Speaking of sunsets, do you plan on staying the night here, or are you going to head off right away?" Miroku asked, his voice sounding serious. "If you plan on staying the night, there's plenty of room for all of you, and I'm sure Minoru and Tsuyu wouldn't mind at all."

"Nah, that's alright. We really should get going. We were hoping to get to Sesshoumaru-oji-san's place." Aijii said, politely declining the offer.

"Alright, just be careful. I know your parents would have quite a fit if anything were to happen to you all." Sango said warningly, knowing that the children would undoubtedly find themselves into some sort of mischief along the way.

"We will!" Satsu sang sweetly as she dragged everyone out the door.

Satsu quickly broke into a sprint, her hands still holding the others in her firm grasp.

"SATSU! SLOW DOWN!" Aijii, Kago, and Tsurugi yelled.

"Yuri-chan's not complaining, so shut up!" Satsu snapped.

"Baka! You know what happened! She probably _does_ want to complain, but she can't! Don't be so selfish, Satsu!" Kago said hotly, his expression angered.

Satsu's perky-self immediately froze. She'd been trying to forget the memory that didn't really haunt her as much as it haunted Yuri.

-

"_Everyone ready for the first trip back?" Kagome asked cheerfully, holding Aijii and Satsu's hands in her own, ensuring the pair wouldn't run._

"_Yep. All set!" Kyo replied, holding Yuri in his arms._

"_Well, then what are we waiting for?" Mei Lhi asked, her hand holding Kago's. _

"_Come on! Let's go!" Inuyasha said rather impatiently._

_Together they jumped, reentering the Sengoku Jidai._

_They spent quite a bit of time at Sesshoumaru's castle in the west before finally deciding to go visit Kouga, much to Inuyasha's irritation, who now resided quite close to the coast._

_As they walked, a large group of youkai stood before their path._

"_Where is the Kaze-hime? Give us the Kaze-hime and no one will get hurt." The youkai who appeared to be the leader ordered._

_Kyo's eyes narrowed. It had been just as he'd feared. His bloodline had passed down stronger into Yuri, not Kago._

"_There's no one here by that name. I'm afraid you're attacking the wrong people." Kagome said matter-of-factly._

"_Oh no, we're looking right at her." The youkai said with a smirk._

_Kyo tightened his grip around Yuri. "Then you're just going to have to take her from me." He snarled._

_The kaze ryuu shifted his daughter to one arm, and summoned his double-ended sickle blade weapon, Amatsu Kazagurma. The youkai smirked, drawing their weapons as well. And then, they charged. The leader youkai's blade clashed with a vicious clanging sound against Kyo's, as both struggled to overtake the other with the sound of metal grinding against metal sang in their ears. It didn't take Kyo long to realize that these weren't the weak youkai that had tried to attack him in the past. These ones were stronger and nearly surpassed him in strength. And then before he knew it, Yuri was taken from his protection and into the arms of the enemy. Enraged, Kyo sent out blades of wind towards them, only to have the leader turn around, a struggling Yuri in his arms and cut through them with his sword._

_Kago squirmed his way through his mother's grip and charged at the youkai, determined to get his sister back._

"_Kago! No! They'll kill you!" Inuyasha yelled after the boy._

_Kyo tried to stop his son, but it was no use. The boy kept running, not the least bit frightened as he saw the youkai ready themselves to deliver easy killing sweeps at him. He dodged a critical blow that would have encumbered him and would have made him an easy picking for the enemy. Without thinking at all, he somehow knew exactly what to do. He grabbed a dagger off one the youkai, sheath and all, and charged at the leader, dagger ready._

"_You're willing to die for her, boy?" The youkai asked him._

"_Hai! She's my Imouto-chan! It's my responsibility as a Nii-chan to protect her!" Kago shouted back, his voice strong, not a single trace of fear in it whatsoever._

"_Your father's job is also to protect his children. That is the job of an Okaa-san and an Otou-san. Are you willing to die and make the both of them fail at their duties to you?"_

"_I won't fail. I'll have her back so fast that if you blink, you'll miss the whole thing."_

_Kago charged again, pulling a fan out from his jacket. "Yuri-chan! Catch it!" he yelled out._

_Yuri wriggled an arm free and quickly caught the fan, opening it with a quick flick of her wrist. Kago broke into a sprint, going into a slide at the last second, a cloud of dust covering him. When it cleared at last, the youkai leader had both his heels slashed, the Achilles tendon that controlled leg movement severed. Yuri and Kago stood together, the elder of the two clutching his sister close to him. The others began to charge at them, Kago gave Yuri a look and she nodded, understanding. She waved the fan, all of the youkai found themselves pushed back. She waved it again as they sprinted forward. A barrage of wind blades assaulted the youkai, the injuries quite severe. Ignoring their wounds, the youkai pressed on. She waved the fan a third time, and before they knew it, the youkai imploded, each and every one of them dead, except for the leader who lay defenseless on the ground, unable to stand._

_Yuri's eyes watered with tears, taking in the damage she had done. Kyo snapped his fingers and his weapon was gone, he moved and took his daughter into his arms again, letting the girl sob quietly into his shoulder. Mei Lhi rushed over and took Kago into her arms, holding him close._

"_We'll return for you Kaze-hime." The leader growled before the group quickly left the scene._

_It wasn't until later that they truly learned why Yuri was known as Kaze-hime. And after that day, Yuri never spoke a word or touched a folding fan ever again._

_-_

"I'm sorry…I-I really shouldn't be so selfish. You're right. I'm sorry." Satsu apologized.

"It's alright…we've all been trying to forget that day." Kago said with a sigh.

"Come on, we should get to Sesshoumaru-oji-san's." Aijii said solemnly.

"Yeah…" Kago agreed. "But it's still a long walk. We could stop at Tenshi-oba-san's for something to eat. Maybe stay the night…"

"Sounds good to me. I haven't seen Tenshi-oba-san in ages! She's just so busy these days." Satsu replied.

"Alright, to Tenshi-oba-san's it is!" Aijii said in a victorious sounding voice.

Taking a slight turn on the path they walked, they headed towards the wolf caves.

Kago couldn't help but recall the memory of that day, nor could he not remember the memories that occurred after that. '_Yuri-chan's special…she got more of Otou-san's bloodline, and I got more of Okaa-san's. But one of Otou-san's ancestors was a powerful demon goddess who controlled the wind and was the first to tame it and use it for her own means. She was the Kaze-hime. And now everyone thinks that Yuri-chan is the Kaze-hime's reincarnation, or something like that…or that she just inherited Kaze-hime's bloodline through Otou-san's side. Ever since she waved that fan…kami-sama, it's my fault. I gave her the fan. I knew she could control wind back then. I should've told Otou-san. I made her use her powers to kill…sure, the power was extraordinary, but she was so young…and I made her see that horrible sight. I'm supposed to protect her. And I failed her back then. I wish I could go back to that day and fix those mistakes. But I can't…and I'm just going to have to deal with it…_'

Footsteps reached their ears and a large group of youkai blocked their path, one of them looking vaguely familiar.

"We meet again, Kaze-hime. I've been waiting for you."

* * *

**A/N:** I'm SO sorry it took so long to finish the first chapter, minna-san! I was blocked for so long, and on top of that, I was super-busy doing school projects. Plus, I wanted to be sure that this fic's start was both thrilling and off to a good start, so I've been making revisions like crazy. Yesterday (June 15) was Graduation and my last day of school. So my friends, yes that's right, I'M ON SUMMER VACATION! Which means…MORE CHAPTERS! And I'm a Junior now. OMG, I can't believe it. I'm totally freaking out. Sheesh. I'm halfway through high school. Wah! T-T Anyways, I'll shut up and quit rambling. I've been working on this chappie for over 2 hours straight, starting at around 6:30am, (my body clock is still set for school, so it'll take a little while before I'll actually start sleeping in late, but for now, it's a good thing since I get more time in the day to do stuff since I'm up early.) Ja ne until next time, and I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. I tried to make it a good one! Hopefully chapter 2 will be up quite soon. 


	2. Ame no Aka

**A/N:** And here we are, at Chapter Two! I can't believe all the reviews that just came in for Chapter One! I swear my eyes bugged out when I saw it. THANK YOU EVERYONE! I'm so sorry for the delay; I've been pretty busy lately. I've been going to summer tennis practice and I still need to do my summer homework. Fun. Anyways, that's enough of that. Disclaimer goes to Arisu-chan, aka our beloved Tsukimisou!

Arisu/Tsuki-chan: Aki-chan doesn't and never has owned Inuyasha or Memoirs of a Geisha. No matter how obsessed with them she'll become, she'll only be able to love them from afar, never claiming ownership unless Takahashi Rumiko or someone is crazy enough to let her have it. And now without any further delay, here's chapter two.

* * *

Chapter Two: Ame no Aka

"All of you, get behind me. Now!" Tsurugi said in a firm tone, drawing his sword from its sheath.

Tsurugi held the blade in a defensive stance, glancing over his shoulder to check that his companions were safe and out of harm's way. Satisfied, he returned his gaze to his opponent, a fire burning in his eyes.

Kago gulped back the lump that had formed in his throat and turned to look at his sister. She was petrified. Her eyes were wide and all the color in her face had suddenly drained out. She merely stared forward gazing fearfully at the man who had tried to take her away from her loved ones so many years before.

"My, my, my…the little brat that Sesshoumaru managed to sire has grown up. You look so remarkably like him…It's a pity that your good looks will have to go to waste; with your death and all…I wonder how your beloved father will cope with the grief. Losing two out of three children! Both of them that he sired himself! It really is quite a shame…" The youkai leader began.

Tsurugi felt his temper flare up at the mention of his late beloved sister, Tsukimisou, who had been murdered when she was just ten years old. He had never seen his mother in so much pain. His mother's agony further fueled his rage and in a split second, he struck. The blade sang as it sliced through flesh. A haze of crimson life permeated the earth, the ground now stained red. Tsurugi quickly pulled back, standing before his companions once again.

He never saw it coming. He should have known that for every action there was an equal and adverse reaction. The leader had made his attack faster than you could blink, and the next thing Tsurugi knew, he saw his own blood, pouring out of him in thin ribbon-like streams of scarlet.

"Tsu-kun!" Satsu screamed, rushing to him.

Satsu skidded to a halt, helping support Tsurugi just as he started to fall. She looked upon the leader in pure hatred, turning to her brother, giving him a knowing look. Aijii nodded, turning to Kago. He too nodded. Both took defensive stances and charged.

-

Yuri could only watch in fear. Her body had frozen. She was so terrified that she couldn't even muster enough shock to flinch as Tsurugi fell. Then she saw her brother go in to protect her once again. Before she knew it, tears had formed in her eyes, and they made their way down her face in salty trails. Daddy wasn't here to save her. Mommy wasn't here either. No one could stop them. She was the only one.

"Ungh! Itai!" Kago grunted, clutching his arm. He had a deep wound on his upper arm, and it had cut the muscle and part of the tendon and refused to move.

Aijii soared backwards through the air, hitting the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him.

All around her, her precious people were dying. They were dying and fighting for her to keep her safe. They fought for her because they loved her. Yuri found strength within her at last, her fear-stricken face hardening, her countenance becoming cool and determined, unafraid and unflinching.

"You're all alone now, Kaze-hime. No one can protect you now." The leader said with a smirk, his tone sounding much like honeyed venom.

Yuri turned to Satsu, who was still bent over Tsurugi who had appeared to have lost consciousness. She saw a folding fan sticking out of her bag, and found a small grin tug at the corners of her mouth.

"Satsu…give me your fan." She said just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Her companions looked shocked. It was the first time she'd spoken, and her first words in a long time were her request for the very object that she feared. Satsu seemed apprehensive but slowly handed over the fan. Yuri examined it for a moment before snapping it open with a flick of her wrist.

"There's still time to run…" Yuri said in a slightly threatening tone as she raised the fan, preparing to strike.

The leader smirked. "Go on Kaze-hime. You won't be able to accomplish anything. You're still too weak and fragile to take the lives of others again. All your loved ones will die here, and you will be powerless to stop their deaths, because a little girl named Oda Yuriko was too much of a coward to fight for her precious people." He said, testing the girl, his voice sounding confident that the girl would do nothing.

"I'm not a coward. I'm not afraid…anymore!" Yuri shot back defiantly as she made a sweep with the fan, a barrage of crescent-shaped blades of wind heading towards her attackers.

The leader attempted to cut through them, charging towards her, but the blades changed shape and dodged every sweep of the sword before returning to their original forms, exploding on every single one of the enemy youkai upon making contact.

Yuri ran to her friends, closing the fan with a snap, surveying the severity of her friends' wounds. Tsurugi didn't look good at all. He was losing blood quickly and it was already pooling around him. Satsu was covered in the crimson substance, her tears making their way down her face. Aijii hadn't moved since he'd been sent flying through the air, and Kago seemed in a great deal of pain, but gritted his teeth against crying out, trying desperately to suppress the agony he felt. Yuri glanced at the long sleeve of her shirt and deftly ripped it, tearing it into strips, making cloth bandages in an instant. She approached Tsurugi and tightly bound the bandages over the deep slashes in the boy's chest and abdomen. She then tore off her other sleeve, binding it over her brother's arm, keeping it taut against his wound.

"We have to find a safe place." The girl finally said.

"Where?" Satsu asked, her voice trembling.

"Kago, carry Aijii. Satsu, you and I will have to carry Tsurugi. I think that if we go north of here we'll find Shippou and Rin's house. We can stay there until everyone's all healed up. But right now, we have to get out of here, because these youkai are desperate to capture me and they'll stop at nothing to have me. I don't know how long they'll be lying there before their wounds start to heal, but we have to run now while we have the chance otherwise we'll all be killed. Right now we're easy pickings for anyone with a grudge against our grandfather. We don't have any time to lose, so let's hurry up and get out of here." Yuri explained.

They didn't know what to do. But they had no other choice. The two girls lifted the young Taisho heir, Satsu carrying him by holding him up from under his arms, while Yuri held him up by his ankles. Kago had his friend on his back, the boy seemingly unconscious. Without a backward glance, they took off, running as fast as their feet could carry them, hoping to reach their one place of sanctuary.

-

Shippou sighed as he stepped outside, preparing for a nice walk in the woods. Stretching lazily and yawning, fangs exposed, he stretched out his arms before taking in all the scents in the area. It was then that he noticed something was amiss. The pleasant breeze had stopped and the air was tense, thick with anxiety. It smelled eerie…it smelled of blood. Lots of it. Shippou's eyes widened as he realized that the scent loomed closer, and he had no idea when his own feet started moving, but he found he had stopped before a most horrifying scene.

Aijii rested unmoving on a wounded Kago's back, and Tsurugi, his blood falling in streams, was also unmoving, supported between Satsu and Yuri. The kitsune froze, unable to comprehend the scene before him. And then Yuri fell suddenly, clutching at her side which had stained crimson.

"Yuri-chan!" Satsu screamed.

The scream jarred Shippou quickly from his shock and carefully he took Yuri and Tsurugi from the now crying Satsu, nodding to Kago to follow him, and quickly. Solemnly they moved forward towards the house, their motions made in haste.

And then Rin appeared in the doorway and it only took her a second to take in the sight before she screamed.

"Oh kami-sama! What's happened to them? Shippou-kun! Answer me!" Rin exclaimed, overcome with shock and worry.

"I don't know, Rin-chan. But whatever it was, it was bad." The kitsune replied, placing Yuri down, following with Tsurugi.

Rin gasped in horror. "Tsu-kun! Tsu-kun! Oh god, Tsu-kun! Iie! Not you too! Not like Tsuki-chan…" she screamed out before she found herself shaking as her body was racked with sobs.

"Rin-chan, I'm going to get Inuyasha and the others…they're in Kagome's time, but they said they'd stop by sometime today. I'll get Sesshoumaru-oji-san and Hana-oba-san as well. I'll be back as soon as I can, alright? Just try and stop Tsurugi's bleeding. It looks like Yuri tried to bind the wound, but it's bled through. Satsu and Kago can help you, everything will be alright, I promise." Shippou said quietly after a few moments of listening to his beloved's sobs.

Rin nodded slowly, and the kitsune turned, going outside, where he could be seen sprinting away towards the well.

Silence settled in for many minutes before at last Rin's hoarse whisper penetrated the dead quiet. "What happened out there?" she asked.

"People came…looking for Yuri. Well, for the Kaze-hime…they came a long time ago, but they promised they'd be back, and they returned…for her. Tsurugi tried to fight them off. But the leader was so strong. Tsurugi was down and out before we could even blink. Then Kago and Aijii tried to take them on. Aijii's probably just been knocked out, but Kago nearly got his arm cut clean off. And then Yuri asked me for a fan…she killed the others…like last time…but the leader still wouldn't die. He's just so powerful…he's not like any other youkai I've seen or heard of." Satsu explained slowly as she rubbed tears out of her eyes.

"Sou ka…" Rin said in a low whisper. "I guess our family will always have problems, ne?"

Satsu let out a sound that sounded half like a strangled sob and a nervous laugh. "H-hai…"

-

'_Finally! Hold on minna-san! Help is on the way!_'

Shippou had finally stopped running, diving into the depths of the Bone Eater's Well, coming out on the other side, five hundred years into the future, shooting out of the well house like a speeding bullet, bursting through the front door of the main house.

"Nani? Shippou! What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Come with me, quickly, both of you." The kitsune replied, still stopping to catch his breath.

Then Inuyasha noticed it. "Blood…Tsurugi's, Kago's…and Yuri's! What happened? What about Satsu and Aijii?" The hanyou growled.

Mei Lhi and Kagome had just walked in the room to hear the hanyou's last sentence, the two of them had been bringing in the groceries, only to drop them in shock, the women staring wide-eyed with fear. Kyo appeared shortly after a solemn look on his face. Obviously his youkai hearing had picked up Inuyasha's words as well.

"Satsu and Aijii are alright. Satsu wasn't hurt at all, she's just in shock. Aijii's just been knocked unconscious. I don't know what happened, but there was a battle of some kind. I left them with Rin. But right now, we need to get Sesshoumaru-oji-san and Hana-oba-san. Tsurugi's wounds are pretty bad. And if Oji-san loses his one and only heir, there's going to be hell to pay." Shippou finally explained after feeling everyone's expectant gazes upon him.

And then Kyo walked out without a word, Mei Lhi following after him seconds later.

"Kagome, let's go." Inuyasha said, moving towards the door.

The miko nodded, going to her mate's side, Shippou lagging behind for a moment before he headed to the well once more.

-

'_Inuyasha got lucky. His children have scarcely a scratch on them. But Kago and Yuri…kuso! I could smell their blood back there. Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have agreed to let them go alone!_' Kyo thought angrily as he sped through the sky, following the blood trail.

"Kyoshi-kun…I know you're worried. But Rin-chan took care of Sesshoumaru-Onii-san when we were still at war with Naraku. She'll take care of them until we get there, ne?" Mei said, hoping to comfort her beloved.

Kyo sighed, and nodded. Glancing down, he sensed a great deal of blood and noticed that the natural flow of the wind had stopped. Curious he dropped down onto the scene and took it in. The blood and scents around him told a story. The scent of wind, a wild and untamed wind, penetrated his senses. At once he understood.

"This is…" Mei began.

"Hai…this is where it all happened. Come on. The trail continues up this way." Kyo replied, following the last of the trail, ending at a small house.

The two of them walked inside, seeing Tsurugi's abdomen covered with bandages, Rin watching over him worriedly. Satsu sat by her elder brother's side, waiting for him to wake up. As the two approached their children, they were surprised to see Kago look up at them and sigh with relief.

"Okaa-san…Otou-san…you're here." He whispered.

"Kago, daijoubu ka?" Mei Lhi asked instantly.

"Hai…I'm fine. My arm just got slashed. Yuri-chan is who I'm worried about right now. She took them all on after all the rest of us got knocked back. They came back Otou-san. They were looking for her. We tried to protect her…all of us failed. In the end she was the one to protect us. Kami-sama, everything happened so fast. All the youkai were down, and I didn't even notice that she got hurt. I never knew she was bleeding until she collapsed…kuso! I've failed her again! What kind of nii-chan am I? Gomen nasai Chichiue, Hahaue…Imouto-chan…I've failed again…" The boy replied morosely.

"Oi! None of this was your fault! Don't beat yourself up about it! You did the best you could! That's all I could ever ask of you. What's important is that you tried. If you were truly a failure, you would have run away like a coward and you would have left her to fend for herself!" Kyo snapped back, frustrated.

"I could've done more! I could've died for her instead of hid behind her when I could still fight! I failed, damn it!" Kago yelled.

"Nii-chan…please don't say that…you really did do the best you could. I would've been very sad if you died. You're the best Nii-chan anyone could ever ask for…" Yuri's voice said quietly.

Stunned, Mei Lhi and Kyo turned to their daughter, realizing that the girl was speaking for the first time in years.

"Yuri-chan…" Kago whispered, his angry tirade faltering.

"How's your arm, Nii-chan?" the girl asked, her voice still soft.

"I-I'll be fine. What about you? I didn't even see you get hurt."

"I had a brief lapse of attention…the leader rushed me right before I could attack. I…I was so focused on protecting all of you, everything else sort of disappeared. I guess he landed a quick blow on me before I knocked him back…"

"Yuri…were they the same ones as before?" Kyo asked slowly, hesitantly, almost afraid to ask the question.

"Hai. They returned. For me."

And it was in that moment that Kyo knew a big problem was about to unfold.

-

Together Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippou had reached Sesshoumaru's castle at top speed. The hanyou had ignored the guards that tried to stop him from entering, and bolted through every door until he had at last found the taiyoukai sipping at some tea in his study.

"Sesshoumaru, you need to come with us." Inuyasha said at once.

The taiyoukai glanced at him nonchalantly, taking another sip of his tea. "What matter can be so pressing that you must break through nearly every door in this castle and require my presence?" he asked.

"It's Tsurugi. He's been wounded, badly. And he's lost a lot of blood. Rin's looking after him, but I think she could use some help." Shippou replied, his tone urgent.

Sesshoumaru immediately set down his tea and was on his feet. "Hana is upstairs." He said, walking away, returning moments later, giving his brother an expectant look.

And then they were off.

-

"_One of the most valuable assets to a geisha is her ability to dance. So, it is fitting we begin with basic dances."_

_Arisu watched her teacher, noticing that the basic dance was very similar to the one she had performed when she was three years old. The other girls mimicked the teacher with difficulty, yet it came to Arisu with such ease. 'Reika was a great teacher' she mused._

_More basic dances, and more boring class time. She'd been told that being a geisha was hard, but it seemed so easy. 'Ah, but you're not a geisha yet! You're still in school!' Arisu's thoughts reprimanded._

_Finally her next class started. Ikebana and tea ceremony. Again, boring. She'd grown up being taught these things from her mother. Then the next class: more dance._

_As she danced, Arisu could see into the room across the courtyard of the school, where much older and more experienced geisha were practicing what appeared to be very complicated fan dances. Looking closer, she could have sworn Haruka was one of them._

_-_

_Arisu sighed as she put her wood block with her name on it onto one of the hooks on the side for "present". She went to her first class of the day, shamisen. It wasn't her best class, but she did alright. _

"_One, two, three!" The teacher counted off._

_And then the room was filled with music. She was fifteen._

_-_

"_I've decided. Arisu and Haruka, you two shall be bound together as sisters. Arisu, you've excelled so well in your classes. The school tells me often of your talents. I believe you are ready, and you have what it takes to become a maiko. The ceremony shall be held tomorrow." The mother of the okiya announced at the dinner table that same day._

_The very next day was when Arisu had gotten her third name. This would be the last name she would get, she hoped. The first name she had gotten was the name she had been born with. The second was the name of the person she had to create in order to hide herself. But this new name, this third name, would be the name that the whole world would know, the name that she would introduce herself as, the name of a geisha._

_After the ceremony had taken place, and Haruka had officially been appointed Arisu's elder sister, Arisu's geimei was at last revealed. From that day forth, she was no longer Tanaka Arisu, her new name was now Tanaka Miyoharu._

_-_

Arisu, now Miyoharu, sighed. Looking longingly across the courtyard of the school she could see the room where little girls all learned basic dances. Now she was one of those older and more experienced women she had seen so long ago, dancing with fans. She was seventeen, and life with Hatsumomo had suddenly become much worse since she had become a maiko. Hatsumomo sought any way possible to destroy her. Haku, now Hatsumiyo, thankfully hadn't caught on to her onee-san's wicked ways. Miyoharu and Hatsumiyo were both able to keep their friendship, but only in secret. Technically, the two of them should have hated each other, and should have been rivals. But the two grew up together, and both worked together always, and if the two of them hadn't been friends, they both probably would not have become as successful as they were.

With another sigh, Miyoharu looked around, noticing Hatsumiyo was no where in sight.

'_Did something happen?_' she wondered worriedly.

As if on cue, the door slid open and in walked Hatsumiyo, bowing low in apology for being so late. "Gomen nasai, Yume-san, but very important matters at the okiya needed my attention." She apologized.

Their dance teacher, Yume-san, nodded in reply and Hatsumiyo took out her fans and went to her spot next to Miyoharu.

"What happened?" Miyoharu asked in a low whisper.

"Not now. After class, Miyo-chan." Hatsumiyo replied in a terse hiss.

"Alright, that's enough for today. I have a few announcements to make. As you know, we'll be picking students to debut in the annual _Dances of the Old Capital_ in the spring. Only sixty will be chosen, so you all must work hard and do your best to earn a spot. Most of you are maiko, and getting a major role in these dances can make or break your career. So from now on, work hard, and perhaps a few of you will be lucky!" Yume-san said to the class.

Around the room, many of the maiko had eager and hopeful eyes. To get a part in _Dances of the Old Capital_ was the one thing any geisha or maiko would die to have. In fact, for many it was their dream to be a part of such a thing. For others, some simply became geisha so that they could dance in the show that one spring, and would put anything on the line just to get what they wanted.

Dance had been Miyoharu's last class of the day and she quickly put away her fans, as she watched as Hatsumiyo darted right out of the room in seconds. Rushing to catch up with her, at last the girl was in shouting range.

"Haku-chan! Wait for me!"

The girl paused, waiting in the middle of the street. Once Miyoharu had finally caught up, she started walking again.

"What's wrong Haku-chan? Is it Hatsumomo again?" Miyoharu asked, concern clearly reflected in her eyes.

"Hai! It's always her! Why can't my onee-san be more like yours? Hatsumomo said that she would be very angry with me if I didn't get a part in the spring dances this year. And that she'd be even angrier if you got it instead of me. I think she's planning to get you again. She could try to break your leg or something, anything to make you unable to get a part. She knows Haruka-san is much better than she is, and if she's your onee-san, she also knows that she'll undoubtedly rub her talent off on you, and your own talent doubled with Haruka-san's, well, you're bound to become more of a success than all of us! And plus, Haruka-san is the daughter of the okiya, so that's an even bigger reason for Hatsumomo to want to destroy you even more than she wants to destroy Haruka-san! Oh please promise me you'll be extra careful these next few months, ne? Otherwise I'll get too worried about you! Now quick! Run ahead of me so it doesn't look like we've been talking! If Hatsumomo finds out we're still friends, I'm going to be in huge trouble!" Hatsumiyo explained quickly.

"Hai! Ja ne!"

Doing as she was told, Miyoharu stepped forward briskly as she could while still looking natural while doing it. Hatsumiyo trailed behind her by several feet, her gaze at the ground. Within a few minutes time the two reached the okiya, retiring to their separate rooms where their onee-sans waited for them.

-

Hana cried out, seeing her son in such a state. She bit back her tears, but she knew she had work to do.

"Rin-chan, h-how is he?" The miko-youkai asked, her voice quavering slightly.

"H-His bleeding's stopped for now, he doesn't seem to have a f-fever or anything, so I think he's alright, b-but he's still in a lot of pain." Rin replied, her own voice shaking.

"How are the others doing, Rin-chan?" Kagome asked.

"Umm, Kago's doing alright, Yuri's conscious, Satsu's fine and I think she told me Aijii's awake now." The girl answered.

Sesshoumaru surveyed his son, looking around, giving a curt nod of satisfaction. He could not sense nor see the gaki. A very good sign. Tsurugi would pull through this, he would survive. He glanced at Hana, who had begun a chant with Kagome, the two of them healing the boy's wounds.

The rest of the house was silent; the only sound was Hana and Kagome chanting in unison. Then that too stopped. At once Sesshoumaru looked to his son, noticing that the wounds weren't completely healed, but they looked a great deal better than they did when they arrived. And then Tsurugi began to stir. At last his eyes opened.

"Chichiue…gomen, I was reckless…" The boy began, only to be silenced by his mother.

"Don't talk now. Rest and recover your strength." Hana said firmly.

"I'm fine. I don't need to rest. What I need to do is make sure everyone is safe." Tsurugi replied with as much stubbornness as he could muster.

"Tsu-kun, everyone's doing fine. You protected us and fought for us bravely." Satsu said from across the room.

"Who fought them off?" The young heir asked curiously. "I fell unconscious afterwards, and I don't remember much else."

"Kago and Aijii tried, but they didn't do much to help. It was Yuri-chan really. She's not afraid. She asked me for my fan…her first words in seven years were 'Give me your fan.' Heh. What are the chances of that…" The girl answered. "But Yuri-chan got hurt too. She'll be alright…Mei-oba-san and Kyo-oji-san are watching over her now."

Tsurugi took in the girl's words, letting a small sigh escape him.

'_Yuri-chan…arigatou. You saved us. You saved us all…_'

* * *

**A/N:** OMG I am SO sorry for how long this took! I've been blocked and idealess for ages and on top of that I had tennis practice, and I wanted to make sure this chapter turned out good and I wanted to make sure I could make it long enough, and I just hope it turned out alright, because there are many parts I don't like in this chapter and I almost scrapped the whole thing and wanted to rewrite it. But I didn't. Otherwise if I did it would be nearly September by the time you all saw Ch. 2. Anyways, I hope it didn't turn out too badly. I will try as hard as I can to fight my writer's block. (Yes, I still have it) And I will do the very best I can to get chapter 3 out faster than this one. School is starting August 31, so I'm gonna work extra hard to get Chapter 3 out before I have to return to school and tennis practice. Ummm, again I'm really, really sorry about the super-long delay. I hope you all will forgive me for that extra long wait along with that horrible cliffhanger. I'll get started on Ch. 3 right away! Now, translations:

_The Return of the Dictionary of Crappy Japanese Translations by Aki-chan!_

Chapter Title : "Ame no Aka" if my Japanese, as little of it as I know, is correct, I believe it roughly translates to "Red Rain" or "Crimson Rain" whatever…

Kaze-hime – Wind Princess?

Ikebana – flower arranging

Shamisen – Stringed instrument similar to a guitar but smaller and played with a large ivory pick, a plectrum. It is one of the many instruments geisha learn how to play.

Geimei – Professional name, the name a geisha takes once she debuts into the world as a maiko.

Maiko – Apprentice geisha, usually an apprentice of an older sister.

Gaki – The messengers of hell, or those ugly little gremlins the Sesshy can see on the dead. The usage of Tenseiga usually follows after he sees those little buggers.

Note: The three sections in italics were flashbacks if you couldn't guess XD


	3. A Traitor Returns

**A/N:** Here we are at Chapter Three! Yay! Finally! Anyways, disclaimer is to be read by ummm…hell I dunno. Shippou! It'll just be random.

Shippou: Okay, since Aki is a hopeless sop, she doesn't own Inuyasha or Memoirs of a Geisha. Just her characters and her stories and her chain of events that she crafted. And now, Chapter Three!

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_Chapter Three: Shattered_

With a spot for _Dances of the Old Capital_ at stake, Hatsumomo's fury had reached its ultimate boiling point. The geisha was out of control. She screamed and snapped at every possible moment, blaming anything and everything she could on Haruka and Miyoharu. Finally, it had gotten to be too much. Haruka and Miyoharu at last decided to get back at her.

"It's called voodoo," Haruka began, pulling out a cloth doll and a handful of pins.

"How does it work?" Miyoharu asked.

"Well, you take a part of the person you want to punish, and this doll represents them. So, if say we wanted to punish a certain person, like oh say, Hatsumomo, we'll need some of her hair and we'll put it inside the doll, and this doll will represent her. So then we can stab needles into the doll, toss it in fire, whatever we want, and she'll suffer for it." Haruka explained.

"I like this voodoo thing. When can we start?" Miyoharu questioned with a smirk.

"Go get a piece of her hair. She's passed out and drunk right now. She won't notice if you cut off a small piece."

Miyoharu nodded, glancing at her hand, her claws extending. Quietly, she crept into Hatsumomo's room and went to cut of a piece of hair. Sadly, she got a little carried away and accidentally hacked off a rather large chunk.

"Oh well…we'll just have to make more dolls…" The girl muttered.

She returned to where her onee-san waited, the hair tied with a ribbon in her palm.

"Did you get it?" Haruka asked.

"Well, yeah…" Miyoharu replied sheepishly.

"What do you mean, 'well, yeah…' did you get it or not?" The elder geisha asked impatiently.

"I got it, but I think I went overboard on cutting her hair…"

With those words said, Miyoharu held up the clump of hair she had cut off. Haruka looked at the hair, her expression unreadable, until suddenly the woman burst out into a fit of laughter.

"Looks like we're going to need more dolls!" Haruka said finally, recovering slightly.

"Hai!"

-

For the rest of the night the pair made several more dolls, putting a piece of Hatsumomo's hair inside each one. When they had finished, they had around eight dolls when they finally ran out of hair to put in them.

"So what shall we do to the first one?" Miyoharu asked.

Without a word, Haruka grabbed a bottle of vinegar and a small handful of dirt from outside and rubbed it into where the eyes would be on the doll. "A Sengoku Jidai version of acid!" she explained with a smirk.

From upstairs the pair could hear Hatsumomo screaming. "Ahh! My eyes! My eyes are being burned out from the inside out! Make it stop!"

Miyoharu grinned, taking a second doll to the kitchen, grabbing a pestle which was used for grinding the rice into gruel. Laying the doll flat on the low table, she started pounding the doll everywhere with the pestle. This was met with Hatsumomo screaming out in pain that every bone inside her felt broken into millions of pieces. Haruka grabbed a third doll, and quickly started a fire in the brazier, tossing the doll inside.

"I think she's suffered enough for tonight. Besides, I don't know what to do next to the fourth doll. We can give it a rest for now. She's only had her eyes burned out, her entire body crushed, and being set on fire. I need more ideas." Miyoharu said.

"I suppose you're right. Let us rest and in the morning think of new methods of torture!"

"Hai!"

-

In the morning, Hatsumomo did not look well. It took every ounce of restraint in Miyoharu and Haruka to keep themselves from bursting out laughing. Sadly, even after having a very rough night, Hatsumomo was still being her usual heartless self. After the geisha had gone out for the night to a local tea house, Miyoharu quickly grabbed the fourth doll, and noticed Mother's dog walking by.

"Here, Taka, here boy! A new toy for you!" She said in a happy sounding voice.

The dog yipped and sank his teeth into the doll, chewing at it, pulling the limbs this way and that, the sound of tearing fabric and thread meeting their ears. Taka the dog was having loads of fun with his new toy, and continued to bite and rip the doll until all that was left of it was a much mangled looking stuffed creature of some kind.

"My turn! Toss me doll number five!" Haruka exclaimed, her grin wicked.

Miyoharu did as she was bidden, handing her onee-san the doll. Haruka motioned for her to follow, and the pair left the okiya, going outside, walking almost into the woods. They waited at the forest's edge for a few minutes before they were greeted by a nine-tailed kitsune.

"Kyuubi-san, I have a gift for you," Haruka began, holding out the doll to the kitsune.

Kyuubi sniffed at the doll before promptly clamping her jaws over it, shaking her head in a savage and vicious way, the sound of ripping and tearing meeting their ears once again. Afterward, they returned to the okiya, and Miyoharu took the sixth doll and the needles that her onee-san had shown her the previous night, stabbing them into every inch possible on the doll.

When Hatsumomo returned to the okiya that night, she didn't look well at all. She looked as if she'd been run through a flour mill and escaped, only to get run through it again. After a very silent meal, everyone headed off to bed, Haruka and Miyoharu looking at the last two dolls.

Haruka picked up the seventh, a wicked smirk on her face. "I know just what to do with this one…" she began.

"Oh?" Miyoharu questioned.

"Remember how there's that other district? The pleasure district? They're not too keen on cleaning, especially their toilets. So, we're going to have a bit of a stealth mission and sneak in and drop the doll in the toilet. Kami-sama knows what kind of disgusting things are in there. So let's go, but we've got to be quiet." The geisha explained.

Miyoharu nodded, Haruka moved to open the window, and the pair leapt out, landing without the slightest sound thanks to their youkai blood. Quickly they hopped over the gate that enclosed the okiya, darting down the packed dirt streets, hiding in shadows until at last they arrived at the first house in the pleasure district.

"So where's the toilet?" Haruka asked Miyoharu.

Miyoharu had her nose buried into her sleeve and merely pointed while trying to suppress a gag. Haruka nodded and quickly tossed the doll into the toilet right in the nick of time as one of the women in the house decided to get up in the night to relieve herself. As soon as the deed was done, the geisha and maiko took off like bats out of hell, returning to their okiya in record time.

The two decided they'd had enough excitement for the night and decided that the following day they would determine what to do with the final doll.

-

In the morning when Hatsumomo came down the stairs she reeked of the sewer, as if she had been sleeping in the gutter with the remains of emptied out toilet buckets. The stench was so horrid that Miyoharu nearly passed out. Hatsumomo had never been more livid.

"How am I supposed to go out tonight? All the clients will never want to speak to me! They'll say, 'Oh Hatsumomo, you used to smell of jasmine! What's this new perfume? Gutter sewage?' How am I supposed to make money now?" The woman said angrily.

"Well, you can start by taking a bath. That usually helps with unruly odors…" Miyoharu began.

"Shut up! Do I need to go on about how much _you_ smell?"

"I'm quite certain that I smell nothing like rotting food and sewage." The maiko replied cleverly.

Hatsumomo's upper lip curled back in rage, and she prepared to say something, only to stop and clutch at her throat suddenly. Everyone looked alarmed as they watched the color draining out of the geisha's face, her lips slowly turning blue. Miyoharu's eyes darted around quickly, then at last she saw it. Haruka had the last doll in her hand, squeezing it so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

"Onee-san! Stop!" The maiko exclaimed suddenly.

Haruka looked puzzled, and then looked down at the doll on her lap. Shocked, she immediately let go and tossed the doll aside without thinking, only to watch Hatsumomo fall over quite like the doll. After that, Hatsumomo did not move. A few minutes of silence went by, and Hatsumomo still hadn't moved an inch. Slowly and cautiously, they all gathered around her.

"Onee-san…what did you do?"

-

The next morning the doctor came and looked over Hatsumomo, and informed everyone that her entire body had suffered mass trauma in a short period of time. In that same moment, the doctor bore the worst of the news: Hatsumomo's body was so damaged that she would no longer be able to be a geisha. Her career was over. There would never be another day when she would put on a beautiful silk kimono. There would never be another day when she would paint her lips. There would never be another day when she would put on her make up, or play her shamisen. There would never be another day when she would dance in a tea house and entertain the wealthy noblemen. The dream had at last ended; the storybook at last came to a close. The fairytale was over now. It was time to leave that magical flower and willow world and return to the harsh face of reality.

-

Even with her future shattered, Hatsumomo still remained the same cruel, bitter woman she was before, only now, she did not hold back her hatred. She had nothing left to hope for, thus she had deemed she could do as she pleased and not have to face the consequences of her actions. However, Mother had other plans. After a few weeks had passed and Hatsumomo's body had recovered from her injuries, the former geisha awoke to see her possessions being carried out of her room and be unceremoniously tossed out the door.

"What are you doing?" The ex-geisha demanded, her eyes narrowed in anger.

"You no longer have a reason to stay. Okaa-san has ordered for us to remove your things and to have you vacate this room immediately." A maid replied with a blank expression.

"Your dirty hands have _no_ right to touch my things! Bring everything back inside right now! Or else I'll tell Mother what a thieving rat you've been these past years!" Hatsumomo snapped, her face now contorted in fury.

"Don't listen to her, Sadako-san. Hatsumomo has no power in this okiya any longer. There's no need to fear her. Whatever she has to say will have lost all meaning." The voice of the mother of the okiya said, having appeared at the doorway of Hatsumomo's room, after hearing the woman's shouting.

"Okaa-san! What is the meaning of this?" Hatsumomo asked interrogatingly.

"You're no longer able to make any more money, so you're of no further use to me. And I have no use for someone like you as a maid, and no one can tolerate you any longer. Also, I'm not your Okaa-san any more. Only a geisha of this okiya may call me 'Mother'. I no longer need you here. It is time that you leave and not trouble us anymore with your presence. Leave now of your own will. And if you do not, I will have the servants toss you out with as much ceremony as the maids are with your wretched possessions." Mother replied, her voice hard. She began to turn to walk away, but then paused, turning back to face the former geisha. "Perhaps if you had not been such a malevolent snake, kami-sama would not have given you this abysmal fate. Keep that thought in mind when you entertain the men in the whore houses."

And with those words, Mother turned and walked away, leaving Hatsumomo standing in her room with her mouth gaping open, all her things being moved out of the room as she stood frozen in shock.

Hatsumomo had gotten what she had deserved at last. It was a fitting fate for one who had lived such a cruel and hateful life as she had. After that day, Hatsumomo was never seen in Gion again.

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**A/N:** And that's the end! JUST KIDDING! **This is a fake chapter, inspired by Dragon Man 180's torture sequence using voodoo. I merely incorporated his ideas into a fun chapter where Hatsumomo can get what she deserved. So where's the real chapter? The real one is below this note, so keep reading! **

**Enjoy the real chapter three!**

**(This omake has received the Dragon Man Stamp of approval!)**

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Chapter Three: A Traitor Returns

It had been two days since the incident just a few miles from the wolf caves. Tsurugi had regained his strength and his wounds were fully healed, yet unfortunately for the young heir, the boy's mother had refused to allow him outside for his own safety. Thus the poor boy found himself cooped up indoors, bored and restless. But the company wasn't so bad. Yuri was still on the mend. Her wound had been severe, and not being full youkai had caused the healing process to be a bit slower. However, her recovery was remarkable. The girl was incredibly resilient. Much more resilient than anyone gave her credit for. With a sigh, Tsurugi turned away from the window he had been gazing longingly out of for the past several minutes.

"Tsu-kun, come and eat," Rin called from across the room.

The young heir rolled his eyes and shook his head, turning to walk away, only to have his elder sister block his path.

"Look, I know that you're sick of being stuck in here, but it's for your own safety. We don't know what's out there. But Kyo-oji-san has gone to the North to consult with the elders and ask them if they know anything about this guy that keeps attacking us. When we have more information, I'm sure you'll be allowed outside once it's certain that none of us will be in immediate danger." The eldest daughter of the west explained.

At this, Tsurugi scoffed before going into an angry tirade. "Hah! Or I'll never be let out ever again if it's just too dangerous to even take three steps away from this damned prison! Kami-sama! I'm _not_ a child! Is everyone going to hold against me the fact that back when I was small I was afraid? Leaders aren't naturally born fearless! I know that everyone, even the most powerful and strongest of leaders aren't completely unafraid when the call of battle sounds. Chichiue is afraid too! But he keeps that fear hidden, and that fear is what makes him strong! Because if you're afraid to lose something, then you have a reason to live, a reason to fight! I was still a little boy for Kami's sake! I'm not that little boy anymore! I'm not the little boy that used to cry when the butterflies flew away, or when a bird landed on my shoulder! I'm not the little boy that was so weak that I let my older sisters push me around! I'm not the little boy that used to think I could never amount to greatness! I'm not that little boy! I've grown up! I'm not afraid anymore either! I've faced my worst fear and I have overcome it! That little boy would have never been able to do what I did two days ago. That little boy would have given up and let himself die in his mother's arms! But I didn't give up! I fought to the very end! I'm still aren't I? Why must everyone still see that little boy when they look at me? Why must everyone underestimate me? I'm much stronger than _any_ of you give me credit for! Why must everyone hold me back from the things I want?"

With these words, the heir stepped past his sister, heading to the spare bedroom, sliding the door shut viciously so that it closed with a loud snap. The boy realized too late that Yuri was in the room too.

"Did you…did you hear all of that?" he asked apprehensively.

The girl merely nodded in reply.

"Sorry…I…I just got a bit frustrated is all…"

Yuri simply smiled a small smile and turned away from him, staring out the window.

"You know…" Yuri began. "I never once underestimated you. I always believed there was greatness in you. And maybe, everyone still sees that little boy you were because he's still there inside you. He still exists because when you were so afraid as a child, you learned what you would be most afraid of losing. So perhaps he is your strength, he is what gives you your reason to fight when the call of battle sounds…ne?"

Tsurugi nodded, grateful for the girl's words.

"I'm still quite sad when the butterflies fly away…they are very beautiful…" Yuri said, still gazing out the window.

At this, Tsurugi smiled slightly. At least someone understood his pain.

-

The massive stone doors began to open, Kyo sighing as he entered.

A meeting was taking place, and heads turned to look at him. Instead of the meeting resuming, the one leading the meeting, Hinoki, motioned him forward. The kaze ryuu took brisk, albeit apprehensive steps towards the tsuki ryuu, bowing before her, remaining in his kneeling position respectfully.

"Rise, dear Kyoshima," Hinoki said softly, watching Kyo as he righted himself into a standing position. "I'm sure you know of the crisis taking place?"

"What crisis do you speak of, Hinoki-sama?" Kyo asked.

"Your daughter, the child by the name of Yuriko, has apparently inherited one of the Four Legendary Bloodlines. In this case, it is the Legendary Wind Spirit," She began.

"Hinoki-sama, I do not understand. The Four Legendary Bloodlines?" The kaze ryuu inquired.

"Hai, you see, back when Ryuuyoukai first entered this world, we had no elements but the sun, the moon, life, and death. Those elements were the only elements that could not be obtained from the natural world. Back then, the world was still being shaped. Wind tore up the land, Fire raged on, Water ravaged the coast and the seas, and the Earth shook and trembled, threatening to devour anyone or anything in its path. Throughout the years of the shaping of the world, all of us had to fight to survive. Our clan, the Ryuuyoukai clan, was most able to survive in this world because of the strength of our scales. Back then, we did not know how to keep a human form. Until the Hi-sama. He first discovered a way for us to obtain a human form. We went to live with the humans; it was how we became known as gods. We protected them from this harsh and wild world. The Hi-sama was the first of the Four Legendary Elements. He was the Legendary Fire Spirit. The very first. And with his powers, he was able to quell the furious flames that blackened the earth. After the fires stopped, the earth stopped shaking. And the Tochi-sama stepped forward and became the Legendary Earth Spirit. Now only the air and the sea were the enemies of the land. Both were probably the most untamable. Many tried to tame the two, but failed. Many either lost their lives or themselves along the way. So for a long while, we gave up trying to gain control over Wind and Water. Then after a few years, our hope was renewed. Water was very clever, and refused to succumb to control without a fight. So, to match that cleverness, one of the women of our clan made a bucket of wood. She approached the sea and caught the water into the bucket, showing how she could hold control over the water, and keep it from escaping. But Water refused to give up. So, the woman made an even bigger bucket and approached the sea again, catching more water. The woman explained that there was plenty of wood and she would only keep making more buckets. At last Water gave in, and this woman had at last outsmarted Water, and became the Legendary Water Spirit, Mizu-hime. With the capture of Water, the sea stopped overflowing the land, and there was finally ground to walk upon. However, the final spirit that remained, the Wind, was the fiercest. Angered that the other elements had been outsmarted and captured into the control of the Ryuuyoukai, Wind cut into the world bitterly and unrelentingly. Wind was furious, and not known to us, but the strongest. For Wind can cut through Earth, raise Water, and put out Fire. The world seemed much more dangerous than when all four elements assaulted the land. All of us had given up hope of taming the wind. All but one. The Kaze-hime. She stepped forward, unafraid as the wind bit into her, trying to destroy her. Kaze-hime loved the wind, even as vicious and terrifying as it was. She stepped forward, to the heart of the wind, where it was most powerful. She pulled out fans that had been enchanted with a piece of the other three elements, and fought against the Wind until both she and Wind grew weary. Wind could not touch her so long as she waved those fans. At long last, Wind gave in, utterly worn from fighting so hard. The Kaze-hime smiled at the Wind, singing to it a song that assured she would nurture his fierce spirit and love him the way he was, destructive and terrifying, or calm and gentle. Kaze-hime was tired, and Wind, now her charge, carried her to us and looked after her. And from then on, Kaze-hime became the fourth and final spirit, the Legendary Wind Spirit. With the final spirit tamed, the world was finally safe, and from these elements, our clan was able to draw out the vast others within that we now control. The rain, the sand, the river, the wood, lightning, time, and so forth. From it, we learned how to create these elements by means of mixing certain elements. How to recreate life or how to recreate death. How to create the Ryuuyoukai with no element, the Void Spirit, when two opposing spirits cancel one another out, the Legendary Spirits guided us, and taught us many things. It was only possible by having all four elements. In essence, it is truly all thanks to the Kaze-hime. It is the reason why we have survived so long…if not for her, we would still be fighting the wind, and you Kyoshima, you would not exist." Hinoki explained calmly.

"Hinoki-sama, how do you know this?" Kyo asked now curious.

"I was there, Kyoshima. I was the moon spirit. The sun and the moon are the only spirits we do not yet know how to recreate. But we are immortal spirits as long as the sun and moon still exists. We are reborn when our age reaches its limits. I've been reborn roughly three times after my original first life, back when I knew the Kaze-hime. So I suppose I can say that I have lived four lifetimes. Heh…"

"Hinoki-sama, what happened to the Kaze-hime? What happened to all of the Legendary Spirits?"

"Unlike me, they were not immortal. Well, not quite immortal. The spirits they had captured were, but the bodies that housed them were not. Kaze-hime did not have time to grow old. But in the time she had while she lived, she continued to love Wind, and Wind loved her back. Kaze-hime got very sick. Wind had raged again through the lands, as he cried out his pain, Wind endlessly howling with his sadness. Kaze-hime had cried, trying to comfort Wind. But it did no good. Wind knew Kaze-hime was dying, and Kaze-hime knew this as well. Before she died, she promised Wind she would come back reborn again in the line of others with powers over the wind. And she told Wind that he would know who held her spirit. Wind found comfort in this thought, knowing that she would come back to him. Kaze-hime died, wrapped in Wind's embrace, and wrapped in his embrace she remains. Wind has grown anxious. Word of your Yuriko has reached him. He wishes to speak with you, Kyoshima. He also has some news for you. News he refuses to tell anyone else. Come with me."

Hinoki turned, walking away, leaving her stunned audience, Kyo following her. Once the two were out of earshot, whispers rang out. Something was happening, something serious.

-

Hinoki approached a door, stopping and turning to face Kyo.

"Behind this door is the room that Kaze-hime once lived. Her body is still here, Wind has refused to let us remove her and bury her. He has kept her preserved all these years, but don't try to talk to Kaze-hime. She's no longer with us, so it will do you no good. I've not been allowed to set foot into this room since the day she died. Wind has requested your presence and yours alone. He has a terrible temper, so be careful about the things you say. But I do not think that will be much of a problem. Now, do you understand everything I have told you?" The tsuki ryuu said.

"Hai, I understand." Kyo replied.

Hinoki knocked upon the door. "Wind, I have brought him. Will you open the door?" she asked.

The door opened, and Hinoki turned to Kyo nodding for him to go inside. Hesitantly, Kyo stepped forward and entered the room, the door shutting behind him. Hinoki stood outside the door her eyes fearful and wide.

'_What have I done? I should've known! Kyoshima is no match for Wind! If he is challenged to fight…oh kami-sama…what have I done?_'

-

"So…_you_ are Oda Kyoshima?" A voice that echoed through the whole room asked.

"Hai, I am." Kyo replied.

"I can sense the presence of my powers within you. Very well. We must talk."

Howling winds filled the room, so fierce that Kyo had to close his eyes and shield himself with his arms to avoid any possible injury. When he opened them again, a man appearing slightly older than himself stood over a bed, lovingly stroking a young woman's face. All at once it hit him; the woman was Kaze-hime. The man turned away from Kaze-hime and approached Kyo.

"Please, have a seat." Wind said politely.

Kyo nodded and did as he was bidden, thanking him politely.

"Now, I must ask…how far does your family line trace back?" Wind asked. "Take your time to think."

Kyo sat thoughtfully for a few moments, before he answered. "Our line dates back to around the passing of Kaze-hime…"

"What was the name of the first of your line?"

"Mitsuo. Oda Mitsuo."

Wind seemed to have a knowing look on his face. "Hai…that was the boy Kaze-hime chose for me to continue my power in. She knew it would be your line…she always knew what would happen in the future. Kaze-hime was so clever, and so knowledgeable. She foresaw this day as well…she told me to meet with a man, he would be from the Oda line, and his name would be Kyoshima…" he said, letting his words sink in.

"How is that possible? For her to predict something like that? My own grandparents had yet to enter this world!"

"It still confuses me to this day. I suppose she was just very intellectual. Or maybe she had been given the gift of foresight. I myself do not know…"

Silence settled into the room for a few moments.

"I must ask you…how was your daughter born? You were present for the birth, were you not?"

"Hai, I was present. It was as normal as any youkai birth…"

"And what of her power? Could you sense her youki when she was born?"

Kyo paused, nodding slowly. "It was most unusual…normally there's no youki, and if there is, it's very small. But hers was incredibly strong. Nearly as strong as my own when I am in my masked form." He explained.

"And did she display this power at a young age?"

Again Kyo nodded, and recounted the event when the youkai first came for her, the event which caused her to never touch a fan nor speak again.

Wind listened intently, taking in Kyo's words. Silence again settled before Wind spoke again.

"Three days ago, I sensed my power. My wind. The wind that only Kaze-hime could wield. Do you know of this?"

The kaze ryuu nodded for the third time. "Those men came again, looking for her. She found her strength again, and she protected everyone. They were just going to walk through and visit Sesshoumaru and their other friends…but those plans have been cancelled…" he explained solemnly.

"At the site of the event, could you sense a different wind?"

"The natural flow of the wind had stopped, and the wind I sensed back there was wild and it was something I had never encountered before."

Wind seemed to understand. "I have some news for you. From what you tell me, Kaze-hime's spirit has been reborn into your child. But now I must share this information with you. It is crucial that you know this. Now, are you ready to receive this knowledge?"

"Hai, I am."

"The one attacking is Harukichi," Wind began.

"Nani? But I thought he died!" Kyo exclaimed, sounding alarmed.

"Iie. Hinoki told you the story, ne? Sun and Moon do not die unless the heavenly bodies they represent cease to exist." Wind replied calmly. "Where was I? Ah, yes. The other Legendary Elements have been reborn before, but my spirit is the last one to reappear, as it was the last to be captured. And since I am the most powerful, it is wanted by anyone with the desire for complete control. Harukichi's plans are not so provincial. He already had a grudge against the woman you had chosen to take as your mate, and he knows that your daughter houses Kaze-hime's spirit. He was around back then when I was first ensnared by Kaze-hime. Not only does he wish to use Kaze-hime's and my power for his own wretched desires, he wishes to kill your child because he feels that she is the true abomination. Your son he will let live for now until he thinks of something to do about it. He is still after your wife. He despises her as much as he despises everyone else. Events have been set in motion and are now starting a chain of even greater events that shall lead up to the final act. I will offer my protection to your daughter, but you must be sure to keep her safe as well. I cannot protect her alone. You may share with Hinoki and the others what I know. It would be best that they did. But before you go, you will need to employ the help of certain individuals. Employ the necessary people, but I shall send for you again when I feel it is time to ask the help of these certain people. Now, you may go."

Kyo bowed respectfully and left the room, the door shutting behind him once again, only this time, the sight his eyes met was Hinoki's worried face.

"You're not hurt are you?" Hinoki asked concernedly.

"No, I'm fine. We just talked." Kyo replied calmly.

"Did he tell you the news?" The tsuki ryuu inquired.

"Hai. We have to tell everyone about what's going on. It's incredibly important."

-

The two returned, seeing that the audience was still there, the whispering finally stopping as they saw the two return. Hinoki nodded to Kyo to share the information he had received from Wind.

"I have spoken with Wind. He told me many things. It seems our traitor has returned. Harukichi is the one leading these attacks against my family. Wind has confirmed that my daughter Yuriko is in fact Kaze-hime reborn. Harukichi wants power again, and he is desperate to obtain it. He wants to use the Kaze-hime's powers for his own destructive means. And knowing Harukichi, it will undoubtedly involve the deaths of many of our fellow kin. I was told to employ aid from others to protect the Kaze-hime's new vessel so that Harukichi's wretched desires cannot become reality. So those of you who will take it upon yourselves to guard against this threat, please step forward!" The kaze ryuu explained.

Silence. The room was filled with silence.

"I'm with you." A voice said.

All turned and saw Toji the Spirit of Life walking forward.

"She died saving your wife. I'll be damned if her sacrifice is in vain." He said in a level voice.

Kyo nodded, knowing who it was Toji spoke of.

"We're going too! You'll need our help as well." Megumi's voice cried out. She stepped forward as well, Ryouji close behind.

"Anyone else?" Kyo inquired.

"I will stand with you, Kyoshima." Hinoki said, bowing to him.

Kyo was shocked. It was a great honor to have someone of much higher status bow before you. Never had such a thing happened to him. He was quite surprised, but nodded gratefully.

"Your daughter can save us all. I refuse to allow someone so innocent to be used for such corrupted means." Hinoki continued as she rose from her bow.

Again Kyo turned to the sea of faces, "Is there no one else? Is there no one else brave enough to stand with us? Or are all of you just cowards?"

Then much to his surprise, the entire crowd bowed to him. "We're all with you." They chorused.

'_Thank you…thank you everyone…_'

-

"Kyoshi-kun has been gone a while…" Mei Lhi whispered.

"Keh! He's fine. Besides, if anything happened to him, you'd be the first to know." Inuyasha replied.

Kagome sighed and shook her head. "I'm sure he's alright Mei-chan. He should be back soon. And when he does, we'll know what to do about everything that's going on, ne?" the miko said comfortingly.

"I hope so…" Mei Lhi said with a sigh, gazing out the window in hope of seeing some sign of her beloved's return.

As if on cue, a shape appeared in the sky, growing larger, until it could be seen that it was a white dragon. Mei Lhi jumped to her feet, and bolted out the door, running quickly, leaping to the top of a tree before leaping skyward from that same tree, catching the white dragon into her arms, only to be surrounded in wind and reappear being held by Kyo tightly until they reached the ground when he finally let go.

"What did you find out?" Hana inquired.

"We have a problem. A _really_ big problem." Kyo replied.

"What's going on?" Mei Lhi asked, sounding concerned.

"We'll go inside and talk." The kaze ryuu said simply.

Once everyone was inside, and the entire house was covered with an orb of wind so that no one could overhear their conversation, Kyo recounted his trip to the North, including his meeting with Wind, excluding nothing, in case it held some importance. When he had finished his tale, everyone looked worried.

"Well, all hell's about to break loose then." Shippou said after a long period of silence. "People want the Kaze-hime's power, and with the Shikon no Tama back in this world, well we're more or less going to be attacked for one or the other, or both every five seconds. This certainly sounds very exciting!" the kitsune continued rather sarcastically.

"And what about the extra help Wind said that he wanted you to recruit?" Rin asked curiously.

"He didn't tell me. All he said was that he would tell me when he thought it would be the right time to ask them." Kyo replied. "Luckily our odds are better this time around. The whole clan is on our side, instead of some of us being on Harukichi's side like last time. So we may actually be able to pull through this mess. So there's some hope left…"

It was then that they realized Yuri had been listening to the entire conversation. Everyone fell silent and turned to look at her. The girl stayed silent for a long time, processing all this information.

"Yuri-chan…" Mei Lhi whispered quietly, feeling jumbled emotions hit her all at once. "Yuri-chan, you know it's not right to listen in on conversations! I taught you better than that!" The hanyou snapped, one of the many emotions writhing inside her, anger, finding an outlet to be heard. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to yell at you, Yuri-chan…I know you must be scared and worried…I just didn't want you to have to know this…not yet…" the woman went on, her voice soft now, sounding saddened.

Yuri brushed off her mother's words, shaking her head, her eyes at the floor. She looked up again, her features set into a blank expression.

"Kill me." She said.

"Nani?" Kyo asked suddenly, wondering if he was hearing right.

"Kill me!" Yuri repeated, louder and more forceful.

"No…no Yuri-chan…" Mei Lhi answered, shaking her head as the sadness overwhelmed her.

"Why not? Kill me! Then everything will be fine! It's because I was born that the whole world's gone to hell! Besides, all I've done in my life is hurt people. I don't deserve to live anymore anyway!" The girl said bitterly.

"We've all hurt people in our lives! Everyone hurts someone in their life sometime! That doesn't mean you have to die because you hurt people. There was a time that I nearly wiped out an entire village of people just to have something I wanted! I tried to kill Kagome too! I even abandoned your mother so I could go to hell with a woman I don't even love! So don't try to tell me that you think you deserve to die because you hurt people that were trying to hurt you first. You hurt people to protect yourself and all of us. Why the hell do you feel sympathetic towards people that only had the intention of killing you in the first place? If anyone should be dying, it should be me! I've lived a far worse life than you have! All of us have lived lives so terrible that it makes your life look like a dream come true for us! Back when I was a pup, people tried to kill me because I'm hanyou and because of my father! Everyone figured I'd be an easy opponent to get back at him! You're lucky, Yuri. No one ever did that to you when you were little. Your parents made sure to protect you and Kago. They made sure that every day not a single hair on your head was out of place! And you're complaining now that your life is meaningless! Keh. Then do what you want. Throw away everything over nothing! See if I care!" Inuyasha replied, sounding just as bitter as the pain from his past resurfaced.

An uneasy quiet settled in the room only to be interrupted by Sesshoumaru.

"He's returned." The taiyoukai said curtly, just before a blast of light struck, everyone moving out of the way of its path at the last second.

When the smoke cleared, the gaping hole in the front of the house revealed Harukichi himself, but looking much different than everyone else remembered. Instead of his easily recognizable vibrant orange-blonde hair, he now had crimson hair the color of fire. He still had his unforgettable cold, unfeeling orange eyes. He wore dark clothing and reeked with the blood of the innocents he had killed before him. He smirked, seeing the group before him, reaching behind his back for his twin double-bladed axes, ignoring the sword he now sported at his waist.

"It's been a long time since we've seen each other, hasn't it?" Harukichi said as calmly as if he were talking about the weather, all the while playfully tossing his axes.

"You are not welcome here! Leave at once!" Hana yelled angrily, her hand moving to grip the sword hilt of the blade at her waist.

At this the San Ryuu smiled and turned to look at the miko-youkai. "Hana, Hana, Hana…It's been too long! I can see you're quite well." He said innocently, throwing out his arms as if he were asking for a warm embrace in greeting. "Is your son quite well? I'm afraid I may have gotten a bit too carried away with him. I didn't expect much from him…after seeing him cry like that all those many, many years ago. Back when I was still after you, Mei Lhi," here he redirected his attention to the hanyou woman. "You remember don't you? You used to baby-sit for Sesshoumaru back then…when he had three children to worry about…"

Hana tensed, and Sesshoumaru felt a rage within him boiling to the surface.

"Silence." The taiyoukai said, his voice harsh and filled with as much killing intent as possible as he drew his sword.

"Now, now, let's not get too hasty Sesshoumaru. I'm not here for you. You're lucky your dearest Hana did the right thing and became a youkai. You don't have any abomination children. But unfortunately for your sister…she decided to go off with a Ryuuyoukai. And as fate would have it, I hear one of those little abominations is the reincarnated spirit of Kaze-hime. Now where is that girl? I saw her a moment ago…" Harukichi continued.

As if on cue, a shower of crescent-shaped blades of wind assaulted the ground on which Harukichi stood upon. Everyone's gaze was turned skyward where they saw Yuri standing on the roof of the house, an open fan in her grip. Harukichi smirked.

"Ah, there you are. But that's no way to introduce yourself to your elders. And such a very rude introduction…it seems your parents didn't teach you manners!" The Ryuuyoukai growled as he twirled one of his axes before hurling it forward.

Yuri glanced at the flying axe, snapping her wrist slightly so that a wind blade shot out and sliced the axe in half. With a growl Harukichi charged forward his remaining axe readied for an attack. Just as he prepared to close in on his prey and strike the blow that would have finished the child in an instant, a sword clanged as it parried the attack. Shocked, all looked to see Mei Lhi standing with her sword, Tetsusage drawn. Harukichi grinned wickedly.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her!" The woman shouted angrily, twisting her sword in an upwards motion, wrenching the axe free from Harukichi's grip.

"You were first on my list in the beginning, hanyou. I may as well finish you off first. It was my original plan after all…" The Ryuuyoukai of the Sun said, still grinning as his second axe fell down to the ground, burying itself into the earth with a thud.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen either…" Kyo's voice said as he appeared at his mate's side, his weapon drawn.

Harukichi merely drew his own blade in response, his focus now only on the hanyou girl.

By now everyone was at a loss as to what to do. The other children had rushed outside after hearing all the commotion, all of them open-mouthed in shock at the scene taking place.

"You are quite a nuisance, Kyoshima. This battle does not concern you…_yet._" Harukichi said venomously, an orb of bright light gathered in his hand that he threw at Kyo.

The kaze no ryuu was knocked backwards off the roof and hit the ground hard, Amatsu Kazagurma falling from his grip and dissipating. He lay there and did not move.

"Kyo!" Mei Lhi screamed out.

She got no reply. Then Harukichi struck, his blade moving faster than the eye could see, Mei blocking as best she could. She was able to deflect most of the attacks, but a few deep blows slipped under her guard and landed in a shower of her own blood. Weary, the hanyou dropped her sword; Harukichi's hand clutched her throat, lifting her into the air.

Kyo's eyes slowly opened, his vision blurred slightly. When it cleared he saw his beloved slowly dying before him. Enraged he shot up towards the other Ryuuyoukai with as much speed as he could muster, knocking the Sun spirit off balance, causing him to release the hanyou from his grip to keep his footing. Mei Lhi fell to her knees on the roof, slowly losing consciousness as the combination of lack of oxygen and massive blood loss took its toll on her body. Kyo once again summoned his weapon, parrying Harukichi's strikes, and landing a quick blow on the San Ryuu across the chest.

Then that's when everyone noticed the intensely thick aura of killing intent. Searching for the source they found it was emanating from Mei Lhi. Slowly she stood, her gaze at the roof tiles, her face hidden by her hair.

"Shit. Kyo back the hell away!" Inuyasha yelled suddenly.

"Nani?" Kyo asked puzzled.

"Just back the hell up unless you want to die!" The hanyou shouted, his voice filled with anxiety.

'_Damn it's going to be a hell of a lot worse than back then. Back then she didn't have any pups to protect. Now she does. Kuso! I just hope there's gonna be a way to stop her._'

Confused but troubled by his mate's intense aura of murderous intent, Kyo backed away.

"Yuri-chan, would you put you dear Okaa-san's katana away? It's dangerous if it's left lying around…" Mei Lhi said, her voice sounding oddly sweet and innocent that it was to the point of horrifying.

The girl obeyed, doing as she was bidden, sheathing the sword, looking to her mother for further instructions.

"Good girl…now go wait with your brother on the ground, Mommy has some unfinished business here…" The hanyou said, her voice still sounding sweet and innocent.

Even as she spoke, her gaze remained at the roof tiles. Then she raised her head. It was just as Inuyasha had feared. The jagged markings under her now crimson and blue eyes, the lengthened fangs and claws…she had reverted to this form. Twice as terrifying for any hanyou to revert to it, but extremely deadly if it was a female hanyou that went into this form. But it was much worse than that. If that female hanyou had children and dire need to protect them…in that form she would be unstoppable. Only one thought ruled her mind, to protect the pups. A thought in the form of one terrifying state. Bloodlust.

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**A/N:** And that's the real end. I'm really sorry it took so long, but at least it wasn't a month-long gap or more. I started school today (August 31) so don't expect a lot of updates, although for some strange reason, I tend to write more for my fics when I'm in school than during summer vacation lol. Must be because I'm motivated to write. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and whatnot. I'll try and get the fourth chapter up as soon as I can. I personally, am not too happy with this chapter. There's lots of things in it that I'm finding quite irritating, but, nonetheless, it is a completed chapter, thus I must post. But enough of my whining. I'll do the best I can to write more. I'm keeping up a mega-motivated attitude this year. Last year in school I totally slacked off and breezed through the whole year and didn't try too much. This year, I plan to put effort into everything and try my best! XD Well, I'll shut up, since no one probably cares about my life, lol. Ja ne until next time!


	4. A Midnight Crossing

**A/N:** And here's chapter four. I'm so sorry it took so long to get this out. School's been really, really busy. I have two AP classes, and I'm in Physics Honors and Pre Calculus Honors. Oh joy. Anyways, here it as at last! Disclaimer, umm Tenshi-chan!

Tenshi-chan: Heyo friends! It's ME! Miyazawa Tenshi! XD Now, Aki-chan doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or anything she has alluded to in his fic. Oh yeah, and she doesn't own me either. I'm the official property of a wonderful girl named Angela! XD Alright, and Aki-chan also wants to announce something…  
Me: OMG YOU GUYS!! **I'M SIXTEEN YEARS OLD!!! I'M A _HAG_!!!  
**Random Crowd: Baba! Go away, hag!  
Me: Shut up! Anyways, that's another reason why I've been gone. Oh right, continue, Tenshi-chan.  
Tenshi-chan: Thank you. Now where was I? Oh yes. I belong to Angela, and Aki-chan only owns this story and its two predecessors and her characters. So without further delay…ENJOY THE CHAPTER!

* * *

Chapter Four: A Midnight Crossing

Everyone watched, frozen in place, their gaze fixated upon Mei Lhi. All waited for her to strike. As if on cue, the hanyou took a stance, her eyes now back at the tiled roof. A breeze picked up, and with it the dark aura of killing intent caused everyone but Harukichi to go slightly weak in the knees at its intensity.

And then, without warning, she struck.

The tiles shifted ever so slightly as she made her charge towards the Ryuuyoukai of the Sun, her battle cry ringing in their ears. In a flash she had run the entire width of the roof and leapt skyward, her elongated claws sank easily into Harukichi's flesh as she landed, the Ryuuyoukai receiving a set of five deep gashes running near the entire length of his body.

Harukichi grunted as the air danced like flames upon his fresh wounds, listlessly shoving the hanyou down to the ground as she made a second attack. Mei Lhi hit the earth with a loud thud, a shower of her own blood raining down, and pooling around her. She ignored it, and sprang back to her feet running forward with so much momentum that she knocked Harukichi down and had her hand wrapped around his throat. She balled her free hand into a fist, pummeling the Ryuuyoukai, as the hand that was still around his throat slowly started to tighten, gradually cutting off the flow of air to his lungs. Harukichi growled and gnashed his fangs savagely the entire time, glaring at the hanyou with hate-filled orange eyes.

In response, the hanyou spat back at him, "You'll die now. No one hurts my family. _No one_."

With those words said, she ceased punching him with her free hand, and now used both hands to either choke him to death or rip his throat out, whichever one happened first. Regrettably, by doing this, she allowed Harukichi a chance to lash out and throw the hanyou off. And he did just that, and tossed her to the ground at least fifteen feet away. Mei Lhi stayed down and did not get up. Yuri's eyes grew wide, seeing her mother lay still. Then Harukichi advanced towards her, drawing his blade.

"Abomination…come here, I shall make your death quick and painless." He growled, the katana singing as it slowly left the shelter of the sheath.

Kyo summoned his weapon, his own eyes wide with fear, as Harukichi raised his sword to attack. Kago started running, hoping to block the attack and protect his sister.

Everything suddenly seemed as if it moved in slow motion. Harukichi's blade loomed ever closer to Yuri, yet Kyo and Kago just couldn't seem to move fast enough. Yuri shrank back, her arms hugging close to her body, a tear dropping from her eyes. The pure drop landed on the tiles, and then, time sped up. The sword was millimeters away from taking the girl's head clean off, but Kago and Kyo were still too far away to be able to deflect the attack. And then a new figure appeared between Yuri and Harukichi. Wind.

-

"So, who exactly _are_ you?" Inuyasha inquired, an eyebrow raised with curiosity.

Wind glanced to the hanyou indifferently, before sighing slightly before he spoke. "I am Wind, the Legendary Wind Spirit. So if I were you, Inuyasha, perhaps you'd reconsider any suspicions you have of me right now."

Everyone in the room bore thunderstruck expressions, each of them in various states of awe to be in such a noble presence. Timidly, Yuri stepped forward and bowed low before the Legendary Spirit.

"Arigatou gozaimasu. You saved me back there. And if it weren't for you, all of us would probably be dead. And…I want to thank you again, for saving my Okaa-san…" She said, barely above a whisper.

Wind seemed quite touched and smiled, turning to Kyo. "You have a charming girl, Kyoshima. She does indeed have Kaze-hime's spirit," then he turned back to Yuri. "You are most welcome, dear child. It was an honor, dear Yuriko…"

The Legendary Spirit rose and walked forward a few paces. "I must take my leave. I have to tend to my beloved. Perhaps we shall cross paths again soon. Farewell."

And with that he was gone.

-

_Wind howled bitterly and angrily, biting and tearing viciously with all his might at the lone girl trying to defeat him with her enchanted fans._

"_You think you can tame me? Ha! I'll be dead before I let myself fall to the control of someone as weak as you!" Wind growled._

_The girl seemed to be slightly hurt by his words, but kept battling the cutting winds with her fans in effort to stay alive._

"_Give up! Surrender now and I shall let you live, girl!" He roared, irritated that the girl refused to stop fighting him._

_The fighting kept going on, seconds passed, minutes, hours, and then days. Wind had grown weary; his powers were diminishing from the fatigue. The girl still fought on, looking very tired herself, but still battled against him nonetheless._

_At long last, Wind could no longer keep up his assault and stopped, the girl stopping as well, her arms falling to her sides like lead._

"_I must admit, I am quite impressed you've lasted so long. I'm afraid I cannot fight anymore. I suppose I will oblige to become your charge. But do not expect my trust or my loyalty to you! I am only conceding to this abysmal fate simply because I must. So do not think you've won just yet!" The Legendary Spirit grumbled, just loud enough for the girl to hear. He was somewhat disappointed that he was finally beaten, and by a woman no less, yet he also somehow felt pleased that he had lost to someone worthy enough to keep up with him. He looked up, his gaze drawn to the girl._

"_I'm glad…" she whispered weakly before she collapsed to the earth in a dead faint._

_With a sigh Wind shook his head before approaching the girl and taking a human shape, lifting her into his arms, carrying her away from the ground which they had just fought upon._

_-_

"Follow the kata (pattern) I just taught you! Don't make up your own!" Yume-san scolded her students. The poor dance teacher was becoming rather irritated with all the girls. They all seemed to have other plans for their dances, attempting to compete with one another, the still-vacant maiko spot for the spring dances overwhelming their minds. "If you all continue to try competing with one another I'm going to have to tell the theatre that none of our maiko were suitable candidates. I'll just have to tell them that they'll have to go get a girl from all the way on the other side of the hanamachi! That way none of you will have a reason to fight, since none of you would be suitable," At this the girls' squabbling stopped, and all eyes looked upon their teacher, their expressions horrified. Seeming to have gotten the desired effect from the girls, Yume smirked and continued. "I'm sure none of you want that, so let's do the dances properly, as I have taught them to you, ne?"

A loud chorus of "Hai Yume-san!" met her ears, much to the dance teacher's satisfaction.

"Very well. Let's begin again…"

-

Colored blurs hovered above her, yet her eyes just couldn't seem to focus. After she'd been knocked out she seemed to have lost all recollection of the events leading up to what had caused her unconsciousness in the first place. Then all of a sudden it hit her. Mei Lhi bolted up to sitting position, her eyes wide and fearful. "Yuri-chan!" she exclaimed in panic. Her eyes darted about frantically, worry and anxiety taking over as she feared for the worst.

"Everything's alright Mei. Yuri-chan is fine," Kyo said in a calm and reassuring tone as he approached his mate, and placed a hand comfortingly on his beloved's shoulder. "Wind saved her," he continued, upon seeing his mate's unvoiced question clearly reflected in her eyes.

The woman sighed with relief, never before feeling more grateful for the kindness of people in the world. Knowing that everyone was safe put the hanyou at ease and calmed her nerves. And soon, Mei Lhi fell asleep.

-

Yuri sat silently in the cool blades of grass. The scent of blood was still strong all around her, but she tried her best to ignore the odor. She had gone outside to think of the battle that had just passed. She felt so useless, so worthless. How could someone like her be used to take over an entire empire? Or even the entire country? She was weak. Someone like her could do next to nothing. The only thing she was good at was being an annoyance. She couldn't even defend herself. Her mother had nearly died trying to protect her. If it hadn't been for Wind showing up, both she and her mother would be dead.

Worthless. Useless. Hopeless. Insignificant. The words drifted across her mind, biting into her soul it seemed. Why couldn't she do anything? Why was she so useless? So worthless? Why could she never do anything that would give meaning for something, anything at all? Why was it that no matter what she had done, nothing seemed to change? That no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make any difference in this world?

She hated herself. She had no reason to live. She was a being without purpose. Her only capability was to destroy, nothing more.

'_I am nothing. I am meaningless. I am…worthless…'_

Yuri turned at the sound of grass crunching under someone's weight, meeting eyes with Tsurugi who bore a revolted expression. Being full youkai, the boy's sense of smell was more acute. The scent of blood was clearly far more repulsively unbearable for the young heir than it was for Yuri.

"Kami-sama, how can you stand to sit out here? It smells awful!" The boy exclaimed.

The girl turned away from him without a word and continued to stare blankly into space. She heard him sigh, and several footsteps followed until she noted listlessly that he had taken a seat beside her.

"So what are you doing out here all by yourself?" He asked curiously.

"Thinking," was her far-off-sounding reply.

Tsurugi sighed almost exasperatedly. Silence settled in for a few moments, Tsurugi turning to the girl again. "What's wrong, Yuri?" he asked finally, albeit slightly hesitant.

The girl's eyes, which had been unfocused for some time, unclouded and gazed intently at the Taisho heir. "I am useless." She replied levelly, using the same insults that had pierced her like daggers just moments before. By saying those words, it seemed to prove to her that the words her mind had said rang true. Looking to Tsurugi, she could obviously see that he disagreed.

"You're not useless, Yuri. You make yourself sound like tool. You're a person for Kami's sake; a person with as much purpose and reason as all the rest of us. How could you say something so cruel about yourself? Kami-sama, Yuri, if you were useless you wouldn't have saved us all back when we were on our way to Tenshi-oba-san's! I would've died, along with all the others! But we're still here because you protected us and saved all of us. That alone proves you're not useless!" The young heir responded heatedly, shocked at the girl's behavior.

"I _am_ useless! I _am_ a tool! I have no reason to exist! All I do is cause pain and all I can ever do is create more pain. All I can be used for is destruction. I saved everyone out of cowardice. I was afraid to die. Saving you and everyone else just happened to be a convenience."

Her voice was hollow and lacked any feeling whatsoever. She almost seemed to not even be aware of the words she was saying. She sounded so cruel and heartless. It was a side of her that Tsurugi had never before witnessed. He didn't know how to respond. Frustrated, he ground out a reply of "Stop trying to cheat yourself. You know you're lying and you don't want to face the truth. But someday you'll have to." With that said, he stood abruptly and stormed off.

Never before had he seen Yuri act so carelessly, so selfishly, so childishly. He didn't know what it was that had taken hold of her, but he despised it. She was so different from the girl who had selflessly risked her life for the sake of others, who seemed to have vanished long ago in the far off depths of memory. He began to wonder if he would ever see that girl again.

-

Kyo, who had been at the window, had heard the exchange between his daughter and the Taisho heir. His daughter's words hurt him so deeply that every word seemed to have been carved into his being by a cold blade of unfeeling steel.

'_Yuri-chan, you're not useless…no matter what you believe, no matter what you say, you're not useless. You have a purpose here Yuri-chan. If you didn't, you wouldn't have been brought into this world. It's your turn to protect the people here, and it's my turn to protect you. I know you're afraid, Yuri-chan. Your Okaa-san was scared too back when she was your age. She was very good at hiding it at times. I know you're trying to be strong, trying to distance yourself from the things that will inevitably come. But don't fight this battle alone! All of us are here for you. This isn't your burden to bear. It's all of ours. We all have a part to play in this. I know you don't want any of us hurt, but you have to trust us and let us help you. Don't push us all away. It will only hurt more in the end.'_

A door in the small house opened and slid shut with a vicious snap. Kyo sighed, still staring out the window, clasping his hands together, as if in prayer, before resting his forehead upon them, sinking down onto the window frame. An incredible sadness broke to the surface, his body shaking violently as he tried desperately to keep the pain inside himself, as he had been taught as he was young.

"Swallow your pain, no matter what it may be. Do not let the world know your sorrows…swallow your pain, no matter what…" he began chanting this quietly, like a sacred mantra. Repeating it over and over again, hoping that the words would steel his emotions and block out his feelings. Yet the more he repeated it, the less he believed in its strength, and the more violently he shook until at last his final thread of restraint snapped.

He began choking back sobs and tears, until the dam broke and the pure salty trails crept down his cheek.

He heard movement, footsteps getting closer. The steps paused, as if the one doing the walking was somewhat stunned at the scene. The footsteps got closer and stopped right next to him.

"Oi, Kyo, what's got you so worked up?" Inuyasha asked, looking out the window to see Yuri still sitting outside.

Kyo couldn't reply, and the hanyou glanced from Yuri to where Kyo rested at the windowsill, putting two and two together.

"Yuri-chan?" the hanyou questioned.

The Ryuuyoukai nodded in response.

"What about her?"

Unable to contain his pain silently, Kyo straightened up and whirled to face the hanyou. "My little girl wants to die!" he yelled.

"Kuso, Kyo! I'm RIGHT here! Don't yell in my face!" Inuyasha snapped, sounding irritated.

Kyo faltered, his pain becoming subdued. "Right…I'm sorry Inuyasha. It's just…it's just a difficult time for me. I know she wants to be strong, and not let any of us get hurt. But pushing all of us away and making the choice to die so young just so we won't get hurt from all this that's going on, she's making it so hard on herself to want to face it all alone. And it hurts to have to know that that is what she wants to do…" he said quietly.

"Kyo, she's just hurt and confused. Her mother could've died from protecting her. She knows that. She wants our help. But because she doesn't want anyone to get hurt from helping her, she pushes all of us away. She'll realize sooner or later that she won't be able to do this whole Kaze-hime business by herself like she wants to. She'll ask us for her help when she needs it. Right now, she's fighting something that only she can combat against." The hanyou replied seriously, sighing once he had finished speaking.

"Yeah…you're right…" The kaze ryuu answered, sounding almost defeated in a way.

"'Course I am." Inuyasha replied, his voice holding a hint of smugness and his usual pride.

Then something dawned upon the Ryuuyoukai, and Inuyasha's words suddenly registered in his head. Kyo looked up at the hanyou curiously. "Since when did you learn to speak such formal Japanese? I wouldn't have believed it was you talking if I hadn't watched you do it myself!" the Ryuuyoukai said with a small smirk tucked into the corner of his mouth.

"Oi! I'm a taiyoukai now, aren't I? The Western Lands weren't divided for no reason! I know when to be serious! And a time like this calls for it." The hanyou snapped, sounding slightly offended that the Ryuuyoukai had doubted his intelligence.

The Ryuuyoukai sighed, and nodded in agreement. "Well, then I guess, we'll just have to wait until she asks for our help, ne?"

"Yeah…"

-

What was left of the front door slid open, and footsteps crunching through grass once again met Yuri's ears. The steps stopped right behind her.

"Come on, let's go inside ne? It's going to be dark soon!" Kago said.

Yuri shook her head.

"Why not?" The boy asked, sounding confused.

"I can't go in there…" The girl replied.

"Sure you can! You've just got to get up and walk!"

"It's not that simple, Nii-chan…"

Kago sighed in frustration. "I've talked to Tsurugi. He told me you were being difficult. I didn't know you would be _this_ difficult…" the boy grumbled.

"That's exactly why I can't go in there." Yuri said matter-of-factly, as if her brother's words solved everything.

"Stop being so stubborn! You're acting like Kaa-chan! Dad was so upset that he was crying! You know Otou-san _never_ cries!" Kago snapped.

"Otou-san was crying…?" Yuri asked, sounding shocked.

"Hai! He even yelled at Inu-oji-san right in the face!"

Yuri was at a loss as to what to say. She knew her father had yelled, but she didn't know he had cried. She remembered his words, "My little girl wants to die!" Those six little words, seemingly innocent alone, but when strung together, caused a world of pain. The wall she had been trying to build between herself and her loved ones collapsed, and her small and delicate form was wracked with sobs. The tears streamed down her face as the rain does from the clouds in a storm.

Kago sighed, and knelt down to his sister's level, taking her into his arms. "There, there Imouto-chan…it's okay…" He whispered. "Nii-chan's here for you."

When her tears ceased to fall, Yuri looked up at her brother. "Nii-chan?" she asked timidly.

"Hai?"

"I'm tired…"

"Okay."

Gently, Kago picked up his sister, carrying her on his back, moving towards the front door, having difficulty getting it open, only to find his father open it for him.

"I'll take her from here, Kago. You should get some rest too." The boy's father said.

Kago nodded and carefully shifted the now sleeping Yuri into his father's waiting arms. "Good night Otou-san." The boy said softly.

"Good night…"

-

Kago sighed as he reentered the room he was sharing with Tsurugi and Aijii. The Taisho heir looked to him with questioning eyes.

"Any luck?" he asked.

"Surprisingly, yes. I just carried her in. She's probably sleeping now." Kago replied, another sigh escaping him.

"What's the matter with you?" Aijii asked, mildly irritated by his friend's stormy mood.

"I've never seen my dad cry…until today. Even when I was really small, I have never seen him cry. Not once. But Yuri…I guess the thought of losing her was enough to bring him to that point. Dad's never cried over me, or been too concerned for me. It's always about her. Just because she's Kaze-hime's incarnation or whatever…" The boy responded bitterly. "I'm always feeling left out. At least Okaa-chan tries to keep me around as much as she can. Then again, she did almost die bringing me into this world, so she's naturally obligated to look after me. But there are times she's more concerned for Yuri than my well-being. And with both Mom and Dad ogling over Yuri and making sure that she's okay and whatnot, not even thinking about me as much as they should, it's infuriating! I love Yuri, she's my baby sister and I know it's not her fault she's getting this attention, and I know she doesn't want it. She's always been trying to tell them, 'Oh look at what Kago is doing! Isn't it neat?' Or 'Kago would like to play with you! I'm fine here with Satsu.' But they never noticed. I've always been ignored…" Kago ground out, finally finishing his angry tirade.

Silence settled in for a few moments, and then Tsurugi started snickering quietly.

"What's so funny?" Kago demanded hotly.

"It's just the way you're telling everything, all your woes and all that, you sound just like a heartbroken woman! You've gone soft, Kago!" The Taisho heir teased.

"I have not!" The boy denied fervently, tossing the nearest object he could find, which happened to be a rather thick book on wilderness survival that the boy had been reading earlier before venturing outside to retrieve his sister.

Tsurugi narrowly dodged the book, looking offended. "Alright, I see how it is! Let's go!" He declared, pulling a broom from the corner of the room and raising it triumphantly over his head.

"You're going down, Tsurugi!" Kago countered, grabbing a mop.

"Oh dear God!" Aijii exclaimed exasperatedly as the broom and mop slammed together in fierce clicking sounds. "MOM!!! MOOOOOM!! They're doing it again!!" he yelled into the hallway.

Kagome appeared in the doorway after a few moments only to witness Aijii hiding behind a makeshift fortress of a massive wall of bedding, Tsurugi and Kago battling each other, jumping from wall to wall. Kagome sighed, and turned yelling into the hallway, "Mei-chan! Hana-chan!"

"Prepare to surrender, Kago! I have won! Now I shall rule all the kingdoms of this land!" Tsurugi announced heroically, declaring his victory of the mock fight.

"Not so fast, Tsurugi! You haven't beaten me yet! Say your prayers!" Kago yelled, preparing to bring the mop down on Tsurugi's head.

"Enough!" Hana shouted, a hand to her head, in annoyance. "You three should be sleeping! Not fighting while others are trying to enjoy the peace and quiet!"

"Sorry, Hahaue…I just wanted to cheer Kago up…he was really depressed. And I know he enjoys our sparring matches. I figured it'd do him good." Tsurugi said, his tone apologetic.

"Be that as it may, that still gives neither of you the right to cause such a ruckus at such an hour. Rin and Shippou have already retired to their room, and it's quite disrespectful of the two of you to disturb their sleep-"

"Oh come on, Hana-oba-san, we all know that they do anything _but_ sleep!" Kago blurted out accidentally, regretting his words the moment they left his lips, all the while praying silently, "Please don't kill me, Hana-oba-san!!" as he waited for his aunt's reaction.

The corner of Hana's mouth twitched, and she remained silent for a few moments. "Whatever those two do alone together is their business. And none of us should have to trouble ourselves with such things. Whatever Shippou and Rin do behind closed doors is for them to know, and for us to keep our silence about. I've never complained whenever I've woken up in the night to hear certain late-night indulgences being fulfilled. So neither should you. Good night, boys." She said finally, starting off quickly with a sharp turn of her heel.

Both Kagome and Mei Lhi sighed, while inside their minds worrying just what kind of things their dear sister-in-law had heard in the late night hours. The two women glanced at one another, seeming to know what the other was thinking and laughed nervously.

"Ahem!" Aijii said loudly, getting his mother's attention.

Kagome snapped back to the current matter at hand and let out another nervous laugh. "Oh, anno…you should all get some sleep. Aijii-kun, go give Tsu-kun and Kago-kun their bedding back. There's no need to hide anymore. Try and get as much rest as you can, ne?" the miko said.

The three boys nodded obediently readying the room for sleeping. The two women tucked in all the boys and said goodnight and silently parted the room, only to find that everyone but the children were awake, sitting around the fire in the center of the room, discussing something that seemed to be very urgent.

"What's going on, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

"We're leaving in a few hours. We can't stay here. The scent of blood will attract massive swarms of youkai looking for a feast. So we all have to get out of here before we become their next meal." The hanyou explained.

"A few hours? Night has just fallen!" Mei Lhi exclaimed in alarm.

"Hai. We're leaving in the middle of the night. I can sense them. They're close and vast in number." Sesshoumaru said, turning towards her.

"Has everything been prepared, Shippou?" Hana asked.

"Hai. I've got everything packed up, we should have enough food for all the kids. Us, well we might have to do a bit of hunting, but we can do without food. We've had a lot worse." The kitsune replied.

"And you said the wolf clan will be arriving to escort us on our way?" The miko-youkai inquired, now turning to Inuyasha.

"Hai. I've persuaded Kouga to bring some of his pack to make sure we make it out safely, or if we're ambushed, we have enough to take them down."

"And I've got Tenshi-san's pack helping us out. I called in a favor on Mei's behalf." Kyo added.

"Good, it looks like we're all set. Now we've just got to wait for the wolves to arrive."

-

The sound of distant barking rang out. Inuyasha's eyes snapped open.

"It's time, come on." He said.

Rin rushed off to wake the boys; Kagome went to wake the girls. Kyo had been waiting in the room, Yuri still soundly sleeping in his arms. The children reentered the room, groggy and blinking.

"Alright, let's go." Hana said, slowly opening the back door, slipping out, holding Tsurugi tightly with one arm, the other stretched out in front of her as she strained to see in the darkness.

Sesshoumaru took his mate's outstretched hand and silently led her forward. Mei Lhi and Kago came out next, Kyo and Yuri immediately after. Inuyasha, Kagome, Aijii, and Satsu followed, with Shippou and Rin bringing up the rear.

The jyaki in the distance was overwhelmingly close by and kept coming closer. The sheer intensity of the evil aura made all the children shudder. The youkai horde flew over them, landing at the site of all the blood, roaring and snarling viciously.

"Where's the feast?" Several growled.

They hungrily sniffed the air.

"Found 'em!" Another roared.

If they could see, the group making their escape would have realized the frozen looks of shock upon all their faces. Then Mei Lhi felt a warm wetness at her abdomen and gasped. Blood. The very same blood that had drenched the earth from the previous battle.

"Shimatta! Kago! RUN!" She exclaimed, pushing her son away from her.

Kyo turned to see the horde closing in, with a snap of his fingers and a quick sweep, Amatsu Kazagurma appeared in his hand and obliterated the front line of youkai.

"Everyone, run for it! They're coming!" The kaze-ryuu yelled in warning.

The youkai swarmed around and came down towards the fleeing group, Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, Hana stringing her bow as she ran, the others pulling out their weapons as well.

The group began to scatter as the youkai cut off everyone from another. Inuyasha and Kagome were cut off first, Aijii and Satsu looking worried as the youkai surrounded them. Inuyasha growled, Tetsusaiga's blade turning crystal.

"Kongousouha!" He yelled, swinging the blade, diamond shards flying everywhere.

Kagome followed up with an arrow, the attack the late Kikyou was most known for, the Hama no Ya. The youkai surrounding them were destroyed and without the slightest backward glance, Kagome, Inuyasha, Aijii, and Satsu pressed on, running towards the sound of the wolves.

Sesshoumaru was surrounded next, yet his expression remained calm. He drew Tenseiga and with a slight smirk, sliced the air, opening the Meidou, the path to the netherworld. The youkai found themselves being pulled in, and those that went astray were quickly reduced to shining pinpricks of light as Hana fired off holy arrows as she ran. The two kept running, seeing Tsurugi ahead, helping Kago kill a youkai that had come after the younger boy after he had tripped.

Mei Lhi was a few paces away, dealing with a battle of her own. Not only was she getting weaker from blood loss, but she had more of the swarm to fight since her blood spilling out around her. Tsurugi defeated the youkai, rejoining his parents, while Kago rushed to his mother's side, his own sword drawn, crafted from both his mother and father's fangs. The boy rushed in and dug his blade into the nearest youkai, swinging the blade as fast as he could to block all the attacks and protect his mother.

"Kago! Look out!" His mother exclaimed as a youkai headed for him.

The hanyou woman shoved her son out of the way and soon found her midsection in the jaws of the youkai, quite high in the air.

"Okaa-chan!" Kago yelled, leaping upwards, his blade ready, stabbing the blade into the youkai, slicing through the flesh all the way up to its mouth. The youkai fell, sliced neatly in half in a shower of blood, drenching Kago. The boy was panting, shocked at what he had just done, but at the same time proud that he was able to help. He decided to revel in his glory later. He quickly tore open the clamped jaws that held his mother captive and helped her stand.

Mei Lhi was far too weak now to keep fighting. "I'm sorry, Kago…" She said, shakily standing and raising Tetsusage.

"Take a break, Mei-chan! Leave the rest to me!" A voice yelled from above.

Leaping down from the sky was a woman around Mei Lhi's age, with black hair and blue eyes and a wolf tail, beating upon all the youkai as she descended.

"Tenshi-oba-san!" Kago exclaimed, sounding relieved.

"Hi there!" The Yamainu woman replied with a smile and a wave as she broke a youkai's teeth, using a loose tooth to pierce into its head. "I heard quite a bit of commotion going on, so I came to investigate! Now look out below, I'm gonna have a little bit of Slice n' Dice fun!" Tenshi warned, pulling out a pair of rather long daggers, one in each hand as she began to spin very fast in a tornado-like fashion.

The tornado went around in circles around Kago and his mother several times until at last it stopped, and Tenshi reappeared, her twin daggers dripping blood, and a shower of severed youkai bits rained down around them. A roar sounded behind the trio, and Tenshi looked back to see another group of youkai coming.

"Uh oh, that's not good. Better get out of here while we can!" She said, picking up her friend, and with Kago's help, the two quickly dashed off, Mei Lhi supported between the two of them.

The sound of the wolves got louder, and soon enough packs of wolves rushed out of the trees and started to attack, helping the others who had gotten cornered get free.

As Kyo ran, Yuri still in his arms, youkai shoved him down, Yuri knocked from his grip. The girl screamed as youkai surrounded her as well. Kyo quickly slashed through the youkai that had knocked him down and rushed to his daughter.

"Yuri, get down!" he yelled, spinning Amatsu Kazagurma rapidly. "Tsumujikaze!" he shouted, a massive whirlwind of wind unleashed, tearing through the youkai that had been poised for an attack.

The blood rained down, feeling heavy on Yuri's body. Shuddering in fear, she felt herself back in the security of her father's arms as he continued to run forward.

The group met back together at last, with wolves in tow as they made their escape through the trees. Many of them now sported injuries from the fighting, yet none of them it seemed, were as bad as Mei Lhi's.

"Kuso, at this rate we're going, we'll be picked off one by one!" Inuyasha growled, gripping Tetsusaiga. "Kongousouha!" He yelled again.

Sesshoumaru opened the Meidou once more and the remaining youkai found themselves sucked in.

At last they were safe. For now, at least.

-

"Where are we going?" Kagome asked as they continued to run.

"To the Western Lands. We should be safe there." Hana replied.

"Well, we'd better get there soon; I don't think Mei-chan can hold out much longer!" Tenshi exclaimed. "She's still losing a lot of blood, and I swear I can smell poison."

"Shimatta!" Kyo swore. "Come on, we have to move faster than this! Every moment of wasted time is closer to killing Mei!"

"Hurry up! We're almost there!" Kouga called back from ahead of the group, where he ran leading some of the wolves, while the others remained around or behind the others.

As tired as they all were from the fighting, they pushed on knowing that they had to make it to the West as soon as possible. They had to escape, for the children's sakes, for their sakes.

* * *

**A/N:** OMG I'M SO SORRY! This has probably been the longest gap ever!! I'm so sorry for the horrendously long delay! Junior year of HS officially sucks. I've been working my ass off like crazy. Plus I was blocked for forever and a half, and I finally regained inspiration and broke through. Hopefully there's still people out there reading this. But I don't blame ya if you gave up on me. XP I've been popping in and out with updates, sometimes updates are back to back, then they just all but disappear. I know it's a tedious thing waiting for posts and all, but I've gotta manage my life on top of writing as well. XP School is more important, and I'll write when I can. I'm worrying about college now, and oh dear god, you know how that stuff all sends the world to hell, plus I've got 2 AP classes…but let's not get into that. Alright, well I hope you all enjoyed this long overdue chapter and please stay tuned for Ch. 5! Ja ne! 


	5. The First Steps

**A/N:** And here we are again! Let's get right on to it! Ch. 5, disclaimer! Umm…Hinata, since she's the only person I can think of!

Hinata: Aki doesn't own Memoirs, IY, or Naruto. She only owns her stories and her characters. Everything else belongs to the proper people.

And now, Ch. 5!

* * *

  
Chapter Five: The First Steps

"I see it! I see the palace!" Kouga yelled back. "Come on!"

Tenshi grunted slightly as she readjusted her friend's weight that she was supporting on her shoulder. Worriedly, Kyo glanced back at his mate, praying that she would be alright. He then refocused his attention on his daughter who clung to him tightly, shaking from sheer terror in his arms.

As the East Gate loomed near, the guards nervously started to cluster about the entrance, noticing the overwhelming scent of blood and death looming seemingly ominously before them.

"Who approaches?" A guard called out nervously, his voice shaking slightly with anxiety, fearing for his life.

"It is I, Sesshoumaru!" The taiyoukai called back.

"Show yourself, my Lord!"

The taiyoukai stepped towards the gate, the darkness of night slowly waning as light began to make violet and rose colored streaks in the sky. Following his lead, the others followed behind the taiyoukai, just as dawn broke on the horizon.

As the first blinding rays of daylight broke through the abyss of night, the guard found he was unable to withhold a gasp of shock. Wordlessly, he opened the gate, admitting his lord and his companions into the great palace before promptly shutting entrance behind them, returning to his post.

-

The group rushed into the palace, bolting into the first spare room they could find.

"Quickly! Pull out a futon and get some bandages!" Hana ordered.

The moment the futon was laid down, Mei Lhi was as well. The miko-youkai surveyed the severity of the wounds, her expression grim. Hana sighed, her mouth drawn into a thin line. There was very little the miko-youkai could to do help the hanyou. It seemed that all hope was lost. She had to admit defeat, and she had to tell the others and be the bearer of bad news.

"I'm sorry, Kyo. She's beyond my care." The miko-youkai said finally.

Kyo said nothing, merely nodding silently. It seemed that he understood the reason why.

"You can only cheat death once, ne?" The Ryuuyoukai said, making an odd sound halfway between a laugh and a sob.

The words seemed to have a harsh effect on everyone, as they silently prepared in their hearts to let Mei go.

"Wait, what about Toji-san?" Kagome wondered aloud.

Immediately everyone's expressions brightened. Hope was not lost. There was still a chance. Kyo rushed outside without a word, transforming as he went.

'_Kami-sama watch over you both…_' Hana prayed, looking skyward, watching as a white dragon flew far off into the distance.

-

Kyo's journey to the North was reminiscent of another journey he had made long ago. Back when his cousin Reika still lived. He recalled storming into the North, tearing through winding hallway after winding hallway looking for her, shortly after he had been informed that his beloved Mei was going to die. He had been afraid that the sickness she had was tied into how she would die. In a way, it was. He had learned that Mei was carrying his child, and he quickly forgot then that she would be leaving him in a few months. Now it was different. Reika was gone, sacrificing her own cursed life to save the life of the hanyou who had taught her that goodness still existed in this world. Kyo sighed. She had died happy, and the final days of her life had been happy ones as well.

As the large gray stone flat loomed closer, Kyo made his descent, touching down and landing at last, waiting as the massive doors opened. His mind returning to the matter at hand, the Ryuuyoukai shot inside like a bullet, hunting the halls for the same man he had sought long ago. Turn after turn, empty hall after empty hall, Toji was nowhere to be found. Kyo growled with frustration, turning to go down a long corridor that also served as an exit, since it had a large balcony carved into the mountain and was easily large enough for a transformed Ryuuyoukai to fly through. Then at last, he found him, standing on the balcony staring out into space. Before Kyo could say a word, Toji turned, sighing slightly.

"I know why you have come. We must act quickly." The Spirit of Life said, his voice sounding rather flat and lacking any feeling.

'_It must be bringing back bad memories for him…the last time I came for help, Reika was here with him. Now he has to go alone…_' The Ryuuyoukai of the Wind thought solemnly.

Toji approached the still-transformed Kyo, gripping onto his pure white mane, hoisting himself onto the Ryuuyoukai's back. Without a word, Kyo took flight heading back to the West.

-

"Where are they?" Tenshi exclaimed impatiently, staring skyward.

"Wait! Here they come!" Rin shouted, pointing at a moving spot in the sky that grew larger each passing second.

A whirling orb of wind began to descend rapidly, Kyo and Toji both falling out of the sky, touching down onto the ground, immediately rushing inside the palace, a bewildered Tenshi and Rin following afterward.

-

Kyo stood silently as Toji examined the severity of the damage that had been inflicted upon the very same hanyou that Reika had died for to save. The Spirit of Life sighed, his expression unreadable.

"I won't lie to you. She's in bad shape. But…I can still save her." Toji said at last.

Kyo nodded, watching in amazement as Toji seemed to glow with bright light. Never before had he witnessed Toji's power in action. The kaze no ryuu stared, his eyes wide with surprise as the bright glow seemed to spread over Mei as well.

"She's been poisoned." Toji said aloud.

The Ryuuyoukai of Wind looked up and nodded. "Hai, Tenshi-san said something like that when we were on our way here."

Toji placed a hand above the wounds, a purple mass of a liquid-like substance coming forth. It rose to his hand, and once Toji held it all in his palm, he fisted his hand, the odd substance dissipating into tiny pinpricks of golden light. At once it seemed, Mei Lhi's wounds healed. Without a word or a backward glance, Toji departed, leaving a single pure white feather in his wake, the light gone with him as well.

-

Upon arriving back in the North, Toji could no longer suppress the cries of pain that longed to be released. Being a Spirit of Life, he was not immune to poison as Reika was. The purpose of poison was to cause death, and by taking such a deadly force within him, even a small amount, would cause him great pain, but would not cause him to die. Not quite yet, anyway. If Toji took in too much of the powers of Anti-Life, it could potentially kill him.

Reika had known that back then. He could remember the day clearly. He had just finished seeing her dance, and the two of them reunited and received the forgiveness they had been yearning for. But then Haru came and tried to shatter that moment in time. It was then he had revealed to Reika that he was the Spirit of Life. However, Haru wasn't at all threatened by his presence. Haru had tried to kill him by sending potentially lethal power of the Anti-Life into his body. But Reika had saved him and taken it instead, as much as it hurt her to do so. It may have seemed a cruel twist of fate, but in the long run, it was the one moment in time where at last they had been brought together again and remained side by side until fate had severed the threads of life, thus unraveling the ties that they had just recently twined together.

Toji's own threads of fate remained tangled around the memory of the woman he loved so dearly, and still loved to that very day. It seemed every moment he continued to live, the more his memories of her seemed to surround him. It was almost as if she were calling to him, calling him to follow her, to join her. And so he lay upon the cold floor crying out as he imagined she had done for him long ago, perhaps even on that exact same spot. Looking around, he saw the door to her room above him. He'd never once been inside her room since those days long ago. Shakily he stood and slowly slid open the door stepping inside.

At once her scent assaulted his senses. Toji could almost see her in the room, smiling and welcoming him inside. He closed the door, the room incredibly dark. And then he stood in silence, letting her memory fill him inside.

-

Haruka paused for a moment as she poured a cup of tea, her eyes darting about frantically. Miyoharu sent a glance her way.

"Onee-san? Is something wrong?" she asked softly.

"Iie…I thought I saw someone I knew…" Haruka replied.

'_He misses me…I miss him too…_'

-

Mei Lhi opened her eyes, her gaze drawn to the iridescent pure white feather, still gracefully floating downward before at last it rested lightly upon the tatami. Someone held her hand firmly in their grip. The hanyou turned to meet the loving stare of her mate.

"Hi there…" she said with a smile.

Kyo smiled back and replied with a simple "Hello" before taking his beloved into his arms, holding her tight. "Try to be more careful alright? Our days of adventure are over now." He said while he still held her in his embrace.

"Hai, we're a bit old now, ne?" Mei agreed.

"True. But we've got to let the kids have their share of adventures on their own, without us."

The hanyou woman sighed and nodded, seemingly in defeat, but it seemed to be more of the realization that her children weren't newborn pups anymore, that they were near grown, and that it was time at last to let them go.

-

Harukichi needed a plan. He needed a plan, and fast. If he wanted the blasted incarnation of Kaze-hime, he'd have to cook something up much more sinister than simply ambushing the dratted girl. She was always surrounded by an entourage. He hobbled forward, cursing Wind as he went. The bastard of a Legendary Spirit had prevented him from transforming, plus, injured his legs so he could not run. So Harukichi was forced to stumble and stagger forward, looking weak, helpless, and defeated. The San Ryuu growled, furious at how embarrassing his situation was. He was at his eighth rank and one as powerful as he had been beaten miserably by a glorified breeze. The mere thought was infuriating. He refused to give up so easily.

As he dragged onward, his plan suddenly occurred to him. It was genius. It was just his luck that Oda Yuriko was part Inuyoukai and had the blood of Inutaisho running through her veins. There was only one clan in all of Japan that hated Inuyoukai more than anything that walked the earth. They were the natural sworn enemies of the Inuyoukai: the Nekoyoukai. All at once his mind wove together carefully precise tactics, his master plan coming into focus at last.

He turned slightly, following the horizon the sun was breaking over, staggering onward, his goal in mind. He knew he would succeed in his plan. They had helped him before. And if the Nekoyoukai joined a cause, the Torayoukai would as well. And if the Torayoukai joined, many others were sure to follow, all those obsessed with the Jewel of the Four Souls, or waiting to spend an aching lust to kill.

It would take some time before his plans could be put into motion, until he had amassed the necessary forces and convinced all clans to join with him. The mere thought of this evil gave a pleasant tingle down his spine. He increased his pace; ignoring the groaning cries of protest his body gave. He pressed on, breaking into a sprint, growling and snarling as he forced himself to transform, climbing skyward into an unsteady flight, the lands of the East slowly coming into his line of sight, until at last they rested just below. Unable to stay airborne any longer, he fell, returning to his human form as he descended, crashing into the earthen ground.

His unexpected arrival caused many to exclaim in shock, Nekoyoukai clustered around him, curious at all the commotion.

"Make way, make way!" An irritated voice shouted.

The crowd parted, admitting the Neko no Taisho. The clan head was quite startled at who lay at his feet, an eyebrow raised slightly in amazement.

"Harukichi-sama, you aren't looking well," The Neko no Taisho said aloud, already stating the obvious in a rather sarcastic way. "Get into another fight with Ryouji?"

"Baka! That bastard Ryouji could do no such thing. This is on the account of someone else." Harukichi growled furiously, his expression contorted in rage.

"Oh? Is that so? Do tell, Harukichi-sama." The Neko clan head questioned curiously.

"Perhaps you'd help me up first before making any demands." The San Ryuu replied bitterly.

"Very well," The Neko no Taisho said with a sigh, motioning to two Nekoyoukai who moved to place the San Ryuu on his feet. "Now, we shall talk."

Harukichi nodded, shrugging off the two Nekoyoukai still holding him up in a standing position. "Are you aware of a girl named Oda Yuriko?" The San Ryuu began with a small grin.

Curious whispers rang out in the crowd, all eyes looking confused.

"Who is this girl you speak of?" The Neko no Taisho asked.

"She's quite special, really. It seems the Legendary Wind Spirit's carrier; the Kaze-hime has been reincarnated into that girl,"

"Why would she concern us? We know nothing of your 'spirits'. You had better have a good purpose in this."

"Oda Yuriko is the reincarnated soul of the woman who tamed the original spirit of the wind. So, Yuriko is a rather remarkably powerful girl. It just so happens that she is an odd mixed breed-"

"A hanyou?"

"No, something much more different. Her mother is a hanyou. The very same hanyou some of you got the pleasure to meet some years ago when she was a young and foolish girl, at a special gathering held in the West,"

"You mean to say that Oda Yuriko is the child of Inutaisho's daughter?" The Neko no Taisho exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"Yes. She is. The blood of your most hated enemy runs within her. And I am offering you the pleasure of taking her captive and bringing her to me. Do whatever you want with her wretched family. I just need the girl."

"Hm. Come, we will have a more in-depth discussion of this inside the palace and then perhaps some treatment for your injuries."

The two made their way to the palace gate, Harukichi groaning the entire way.

When at last the pair made it to a private room, the Neko no Taisho summoned servants, who brought in tea and the royal physician. Harukichi sat silently as the royal physician dressed his wounds, sipping at his tea until at last the elderly Nekoyoukai left, shutting to the door with a polite tap.

"So, Masashi-san, you wanted to know more?" Harukichi asked.

"Hai, do continue your plan, Harukichi-sama." The Neko no Taisho replied.

"Very well. I shall tell you about the spirits, since you don't seem to grasp the sheer gravity of how important Oda Yuriko is," The San Ryuu began.

Masashi nodded, urging the Ryuuyoukai to continue.

"In our clan, when we first came into the world, we had only four elements, the Sun, the Moon, Life, and Anti-Life. The four elements of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water ravaged the lands. We call these the Legendary Spirits. Each of these four spirits was captured by someone of our clan, which is why we have Ryuuyoukai today with such powers. However, the Legendary Wind Spirit was the last to be captured, and found himself ensnared by a young woman whom we called the Kaze-hime. Every Legendary Spirit carrier has been reborn in order of their capture. Kaze-hime had not yet appeared, until now. Oda Yuriko has Kaze-hime's spirit within her, and the power to control the Legendary Wind Spirit's powers. Wind has been known to be the most destructive, and with its power, someone could take over and control whatever it is they could want,"

"So, you wish to get this girl for yourself and obtain the world by using her power?"

"Yes, my plans exactly. Of course, you and your clan would receive large portions of the lands I acquire, being my aides in this cause. Plus, you can destroy all proof of the existence of Inutaisho once and for all. Never again will an Inuyoukai trouble you."

"This plan is most enticing. But what happens if some of the men have some certain special needs?"

"You will find that the hanyou called Inuyasha has a daughter. I'm sure she would suffice for those needs. And if it is not enough, once I'm done using Yuriko for my purposes, you may have her as well. Or, you could just kill all the men in the clan so that no heirs can carry on the line, and keep all the women to yourself."

Masashi smirked, seeming to enjoy the idea. "Very well, we shall help you. I'm sure you're going to recruit others to aid you in this cause?"

"Of course. I had figured that Torayoukai would follow your lead, and perhaps others with some leverage."

"Then until that time when we've all been selected for this task, I'd advise you rest here, my friend. My daughter, Mizumi, will be here to cater to your needs."

"Arigatou Masashi-san."

With those words said, Masashi left the room. Harukichi sat alone for a few moments but not for long. Soon the door opened again, and a young girl of around eighteen entered, bringing in a tray of hot miso soup and rice. Harukichi glanced at her, her black cat ears and tail getting his attention.

"Are you a hanyou?" He asked coldly.

The girl glared at him, seemingly insulted. "No. Is there a problem that I look this way?" She said bitterly, her sapphire blue eyes smoldering.

"Hm. Who are you then if you say you're full youkai?" The San Ryuu inquired, obviously not convinced.

"My name is Ichitani Mizumi, my father is the Neko no Taisho, Ichitani Masashi. It's a real pleasure to meet you, Harukichi-sama." Mizumi replied, sounding very unenthusiastic about meeting the Ryuuyoukai.

"Ah yes, your father said you'd be here to cater to my needs," Harukichi said with a smirk.

"Yes, I am here for that purpose. Do you need anything?" The Nekoyoukai girl asked, trying not to roll her eyes.

Much to Mizumi's surprise, Harukichi stood and approached her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Then perhaps you could help me with a certain special need, hm?" The Ryuuyoukai said, tightening his grasp on the girl.

Mizumi growled angrily, delivering a swift blow into the San Ryuu's chest and tossed him off and throwing him so that he'd land in such a way that all desire was immediately replaced by excruciating pain.

"I don't specialize in those sorts of needs. If that's what you want, you won't get a _damn_ thing from me. Go ask one of the local women around here. I'm sure they could assist you. But I would advise that you don't address that need until after a few days. You'll be feeling it later on." The girl ground out, her voice hard.

Harukichi could only groan in response.

"And if you try and touch me again, I won't hesitate in removing you of certain dangling assets. Is that in any way unclear?" Mizumi snapped angrily.

Harukichi barely managed to shake his head, still trying to recover from the girl's unexpected retaliation and overwhelming strength.

Mizumi glared a hate-filled look at the San Ryuu, before crossing the room and flinging open the door, slamming it shut.

-

Kyo emerged from the room, his son rushing up to him, concern clearly reflected in his eyes.

"How's Okaa-san?" he asked, sounding worried.

"She's all better now. An old friend stopped by to help. She'll be fine." The kaze no ryuu answered.

Kago blinked and nodded, seemingly a bit confused, yet relieved about it all the same.

"How's Yuri?" Kyo asked.

"She's still pretty shaken up. I guess she hasn't fully recovered from everything that's happened." The boy replied glumly.

Kyo nodded, as if saying "I'll go talk to her" before he strode past his son, entering the other room from the far corridor.

"Yuri-chan…" he called.

A small scuffling met his ears, and his daughter, still trembling and pale tiptoed over to greet him. The mere sight made the kaze no ryuu sigh in an almost saddened manner. Without hesitation, he took the girl into his arms once again.

"Otou-san…" Yuri whispered, her voice shaking. "Is Okaa-san going to be alright?"

"Hai, she's going to be fine. You remember I told you about Reika-oba-san, ne?" Kyo replied reassuringly.

Yuri nodded in reply.

"Well, an old friend of mine, your Toji-oji-san, came and stopped by and made Okaa-san all better. And you don't need to worry anymore. Reika-oba-san had a very difficult position in the clan, and she defied her own laws just to make sure your Okaa-san would always stay protected. And now that Reika-oba-san is gone, Toji-oji-san is continuing on for her and making sure Okaa-san stays safe, just like Reika-oba-san would have wanted."

"Hai…" The girl murmured, still shaking.

"Ne, how about you go ask Okaa-san if she'd like to take a bath with you?" Kyo said in a hopeful sounding voice.

Yuri nodded, removing herself from her father's embrace, shuffling down the hallway.

In a few moments time Kyo could hear the sound of running water. The kaze no ryuu sighed, utterly exhausted from the running and fighting the night before. The sound of the flowing water soon lulled the Ryuuyoukai into a much-needed sleep.

-

Then came the screaming. It had been ten minutes or less before Kyo's eyes snapped open once more. He recognized the voice as Yuri's, running towards the sound. The sound of many other footsteps reached his ears. Kyo didn't doubt for a minute that it was the others, all of them rushing to investigate the commotion.

Upon bursting into the bath, he saw his daughter shaking much worse than before, and she almost looked delirious. Mei Lhi held the girl, rocking back and forth, much like a mother does to an infant when trying to lull them to sleep.

"What's happened?" Kyo asked urgently.

"I don't know. We just stepped into the water and then the blood started washing off, and she started screaming." Mei replied worriedly.

Hana entered the room moments later, splashing in the warm water of the bath as she made her way closer towards the still trembling girl. As Hana moved closer, the blood from her own clothes began to wash off and cause the water to taint crimson. Yuri let out a startled yelp and buried her face into her mother's shoulder.

"Mama…I…I feel sick…" The girl mumbled feebly and almost incoherently, her voice seeming to take on the quality of a small child.

"Shh…it's going to be alright. Everything's going to be okay," The hanyou woman cooed, still rocking the girl. "You'll be alright. Mommy's not going to let anything bad happen to you. I promise."

Hana's eyes stared blankly at the clouded crimson surface of the water, thinking silently. This all wasn't just nerves from nearly losing someone precious, nor was it shock from their recent flight to the West. Something was definitely wrong.

"Take her out of the water, Mei-chan," The miko-youkai said finally, not really knowing what to do.

Mei nodded, taking Yuri into her arms, stepping out of the bath before wrapping both herself and her daughter in towels they had brought over from a previous trip to the Modern Era. Hana stepped out of the water as well, ignoring that she was dripping wet.

Together the three of them quickly left the room, leaving a stunned and worried Kyo behind.

-

Hana sighed, having just completed a more thorough examination of the girl. "It appears there's nothing wrong with her. She's not wounded or suffering from any illness I know of, and she seems somewhat calmer, but still quite shaken. I know that there is obviously something wrong. Mei Lhi, can you tell me what happened in the bath that caused her condition to worsen?"

The hanyou nodded, "Just as we stepped into the water, the blood from all the fighting started to wash away, and it really seemed to frighten her."

"Hmm. I see. Do you mind if I try something somewhat unorthodox?"

"No, by all means, go ahead."

Hana nodded, and pricked her finger so that droplets of blood started to fall from the wounded appendage. The miko-youkai observed silently, noting that Yuri seemed highly uncomfortable watching the blood drip and her color seemed to be waning the more she watched. Hana also saw beads of perspiration began to show on her forehead, the girl looking sicker and sicker. At last she knew. Using her uninjured hand, the miko-youkai gathered blue light and healed the wound she had just made.

The miko-youkai sighed for the umpteenth time that day, silent for a few moments. "Mei Lhi, go take your daughter from this room. Take her somewhere clean, comfortable, with absolutely nothing red-colored in the room. Then bring Kyo back here. We must talk." Hana instructed.

Doing as ordered, the hanyou scooped her daughter into her arms, quickly leaving the room. Mei Lhi returned a few minutes later, her mate in tow.

"What seems to be the matter, Hana-san?" Kyo asked politely.

"Your daughter…Yuri, she appears to have hemophobia. It's nothing too serious, but it does appear that the traumas in her short lifetime have scarred her mentally, and she's undoubtedly experiencing this fear due to so much blood that has been spilled over the want of her." Hana replied slowly, allowing this new information to process.

"She's afraid of blood?" Mei Lhi asked uncertainly.

"Yes, I am certain of it. All the incidents relating to her 'illness' has been because of the presence of blood in the vicinity of her." The miko-youkai answered, her voice calm.

"So how does this affect her in the future?" Kyo questioned.

"Well, the sight of blood, her own or someone else's, or even thoughts of blood will cause her to go into a state of panic. She will become ill, most likely with queasiness and other sorts of reactions. But you needn't worry too much. As long as she is kept in a place where she won't encounter blood, or thoughts of it, she will live a rather normal life," Hana said, still maintaining her cool and collected demeanor.

"So what do we do now?"

"You'll have to reassure her in time that this fear is not such a terrible thing. That's the best advice I can offer you at this present time."

-

"Gamyou! Gamyou!" A familiar voice announced.

Inuyasha's ear twitched, recognizing the voice, smacking a hand to his nose as Myouga the Flea leapt onto it in order to suck some blood. As the flea youkai floated down to the floor, paper-thin from being squished, slowly regaining his normal round shape as he descended.

"Ohayou Inuyasha-sama!" The flea said loudly and happily.

"Where've you been all this time, Myouga-jiji?" The hanyou questioned with a death glare that could kill a tree.

"I took a vacation, Inuyasha-sama! And on this vacation, I heard lots of rumors going around about Mei Lhi-sama's daughter, along with some talk of the San Ryuu's return! Are these rumors true, Inuyasha-sama?" Myouga said, his tone serious.

"Hai. All of it is true. So what do you want?" Inuyasha replied, sounding somewhat annoyed.

"I've received word that the San Ryuu, Harukichi-sama, is in hiding. I went with Toutousai to investigate and together we found that Harukichi-sama is hiding with the Nekoyoukai clan. He is undoubtedly plotting something evil. However, thanks to the recent battle with Lord Wind, Harukichi-sama won't be able to make any attacks any time soon. When he arrived, Harukichi-sama was seriously injured, so it will take a fair amount of time before he's properly healed." The flea explained.

"And how the hell does this all concern me? Harukichi-teme is after Yuri-chan, not me or my family." The hanyou ground out bitterly.

Myouga froze for a few seconds, unable to come up with a response.

"Keh. That's what I thought."

"You mean to say that you don't care that Yuri-sama is in danger? She's your own niece, Inuyasha-sama!"

"Of course I care, Myouga-jiji! Kuso! I'm not _that_ heartless!"

Myouga's face brightened briefly before returning to its former serious state. "What does Inuyasha-sama suggest?" The flea asked.

"We don't tell Imouto-chan or Kyo. Knowing them, they'd want to go after Harukichi and get him while he's down. Naturally Kyo wouldn't see the reason in invading our enemy's lands and killing one of their allies. That'd create loads of problems for us. So, we keep it quiet. Keep me updated with any new information you get. I'll tell them when the time is right. Talk to Sesshoumaru and Hana about it, but make sure they understand we have to keep this a secret between us." Inuyasha said after a few silent moments of thought.

"Hai, Inuyasha-sama! It will be my utmost honor to keep your secrets safe!"

"And don't you go spilling it all on accident. Otherwise you're not gonna like the outcome of it at all."

To further prove his point, the hanyou let a low angry growl rumble in his throat, before quickly putting an oddly happy smile on his face, so odd that it was actually quite scary.

Myouga nodded slowly in understanding, hopping away faster than the speed of light.

-

'_Inuyasha-sama is so frightening when he's like that…_' Myouga thought silently as he zipped through the halls as fast as he could, looking for Sesshoumaru and Hana.

The flea soon sensed the two nearby, and within moments leapt up, only to be squished again by an irritated, clawed hand.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Hanajima-sama! Inuyasha-sama sent me to tell you some grave news!" The flea called, puffing out his chest with the air of importance, once he had resumed his normal size after being flattened.

The taiyoukai looked to the flea expectantly, waiting for him to go on.

"While on a trip with Toutousai, we discovered the location of Harukichi's hiding place. It appears he's gone to the Nekoyoukai for aid. He seems to be severely injured, and is going to be staying with the Neko no Taisho for quite some time. Then, once he's healed, he'll undoubtedly gather forces to overwhelm us. I've been instructed to tell the both of you to keep this matter between us. Inuyasha-sama wishes not to disclose this information to Mei Lhi-sama or Kyoshima-sama. Inuyasha-sama has said that the two of them would have rash actions concerning this matter since, Yuriko-sama is involved, and that Mei Lhi-sama or Kyoshima-sama could bring an unpleasant war between the Inuyoukai and the Nekoyoukai." Myouga explained quickly.

Sesshoumaru nodded curtly in understanding letting this new information process.

"Then perhaps we should use this time to our advantage, and better prepare the children for battle?" Hana suggested.

"Hai, Tsurugi could learn much." The taiyoukai agreed.

"The others could benefit from some better combat experience. Perhaps with some more effective training, we could tip the scales of victory in our favor, or at least give the children a chance. A better chance than the ones they've already had." The miko-youkai said, her voice strong and determined.

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but smirk as he thought of the days to come. Oh yes, it was going to be a very exciting next couple of weeks. He could sense it.

With a polite nod to his mate, he departed the room, searching for his son.

'_There will soon be many surprises…_'

* * *

**A/N:** The end of this chapter! Finally! Sorry it took so long! I've been working like crazy at school and I haven't been all that motivated to write. But then along came Carrie. XD My good friend Carrie has been constantly nagging at me to write and also helping me with the writing process of this chapter. A lot of her suggestions are used in this chapter. So, it's only fair that she receives official co-author status. Don't freak guys. I'm still writing this fic. I give the dots; Carrie will help me connect them so I can slow the plot a little. As of now, it's moving way too fast. So I will still be writing this story, but using some of Carrie's awesome ideas to add to this fic and give it some more meat and keep me from finishing this story too quickly. Because seriously, I've almost run through a quarter of my plot and this is only chapter 5. Anyways, I'm rambling, I've got finals coming up and I'm freaking out. So I'll shut up and go away! Ja ne until next time, and everyone please give a warm hand of welcome to Carrie, my co-author! 


	6. Guidance

**A/N:** And we're back again! Woo! Second semester of Junior year, damn, I can't believe it! Anyways, I'm listening to the PotC: DMC soundtrack and somehow am motivated to write lol. So for the disclaimer, I give you…Reika-chan!

Reika: (Grumbles) For the love of Kami-sama! Get it right! I'm Haruka!  
Me: Fine, whatever, Haruka.  
Reika/Haruka: Much better. Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Memoirs of a Geisha, Naruto, Carrie's ideas, or the character Ichitani Mizumi. Aki owns only this story and her characters she's created. With no further delay, please enjoy chapter six.

* * *

Chapter Six: Guidance

"You are all here because we feel its time you all have received a better grasp of combat tactics," Sesshoumaru began, looking pointedly at his son, niece, and nephews.

The taiyoukai noted that Yuri wasn't present. He had recalled the girl looked quite ill when she'd arrived, and was most undoubtedly resting in her room. Looking to Kago, Sesshoumaru could see that he hadn't the slightest idea where his younger sister was.

'_Best not make a delay…_' The demon lord mused with a small smirk, knowing how impatient the children undoubtedly were, along with the taiyoukai himself.

Inuyasha, Kagome, and Hana stood not too far away, waiting for the great demon to continue his explanation.

"All of you shall be instructed and given formal training for critical combat situations. Seeing as the battles ahead will not become any easier, the best that can be done is to send all of you into the fray with some sort of skill so that none of you end up cut down by your adversaries," Sesshoumaru continued, pausing briefly to motion Hana, Inuyasha, and Kagome forward. "Each one of you shall be instructed by your parents. Kago, I would recommend that you train with Inuyasha. Your parents are surely taking care of your sister, which is most likely the reason for their absence." The taiyoukai paused again, letting what he had said sink in before continuing once again. "There is little time. Let us not waste a moment of it."

The children nodded, each being led away by their parent or relative.

-

"Tsurugi, for your training you will engage me in combat so that I may witness your skill." Sesshoumaru said in a level voice.

The boy seemed somewhat surprised, but drew his blade nonetheless as his father did as well. Tsurugi had never fought his father before, and the mere thought made him nervous. The two faced one another, waiting silently.

"Hajime!" Hana shouted all-too-suddenly.

_CLANG!_

Before he knew it, his father's blade was at his throat, Tsurugi barely blocking the opposing sword with his own. Willing as much strength as he could muster to his arms in this position, the boy pushed his father back, before quickly lunging forward to attack.

Sesshoumaru blocked every attempted blow with ease, his motions effortless. The sheer laziness that the taiyoukai used to execute his movements annoyed Tsurugi to no end. The boy found himself quickly frustrated and rather impatient.

"You attack far too quickly, far too obviously! The enemy shall see right through your attempts instantaneously!" Sesshoumaru said in a lecturing tone between the clanging of the two swords.

Tsurugi growled in his throat, leaping backwards to avoid an unexpected counterattack.

_Ka-LANG-LANG-KLANG!_

The two swords sang bitter songs in the air as each parried the other; Tsurugi found himself rapidly backpedaling in order to avoid his father's swift attacks. Within a matter of moments the boy was cornered. Sighing, Tsurugi dropped his sword in surrender.

Sesshoumaru paused briefly, giving a curt nod.

"It appears that you have some skill in evading, however your counterattacks and attempts are meaningless. You have much to learn, Tsurugi." The taiyoukai said levelly.

-

Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, deciding to show off a bit to the kids. The fang suddenly crystallized, and with a yell of "Kongousouha!" a barrage of diamond shards came forth, assailing the nearest tree line, taking it down in moments. Kagome looked on with a sigh, rolling her eyes.

At least the children were amused. All three stared wide-eyed and gaping, clapping and cheering with cries of "That was awesome! Do it again!"

The hanyou shook his head in response. "Iie, if I do that again, Kagome will be mad at me. Your oji-san would have my head too. It's bad enough that I took out those trees," he said, his tone serious.

His words seemed to damper the kids' spirits. They had obviously hoped they would witness the technique in action against some real competition.

Looking from face to face, Inuyasha could tell that each of them seemed less excited than they were before. "Just because I'm not using _that_ technique again doesn't mean I won't show you others that are just as great!" The hanyou said, hoping to brighten the mood.

All three faces lit up and looked at the hanyou eager and anxious to learn the powers of the Tetsusaiga.

Inuyasha smirked slightly, just as excited to show off even more. However, his rapidly growing ego promptly ceased via death glare from Kagome that seemed to read "If you don't stop doing that instead of teaching them how to survive, you're not getting IT tonight." The thought of missing out on one of the hanyou's favorite activities was no better reason than to deflate his rather inflated self.

"Alright, so let's uh…get started," Inuyasha began awkwardly after receiving his threat of punishment.

The children nodded, gathering around closer, preparing for instruction.

"So um, all three of you have got your own set of strengths and weaknesses. What I'm gonna do is test those weaknesses. Then we can focus more on your strengths," The hanyou continued. He glanced at the three of them, making sure they understood. "Aijii! You're up!" he shouted suddenly.

Aijii nodded, and drew his blade, trying to hold back the anxiety and nervousness he felt.

"Don't be afraid, Aijii. Just try and hit me." Inuyasha said to his son calmly.

The boy nodded again, and in a matter of seconds the two swords clanged together as the fight began.

'_He's pretty quick…_' Inuyasha thought, a smirk crossing his features.

Aijii had a set and determined look in his eyes, his blade grinding viciously into Tetsusaiga. Without warning, Inuyasha gripped the fang and with a hard swing, knocked Aijii back a couple of feet. The boy ran forward, preparing for a head-on strike. Inuyasha prepared to deflect the blow, but didn't expect his son to suddenly vanish from view. His nose and ears promptly alerted him that Aijii was striking from above, and the hanyou barely had enough time to block.

With a failed attempt from above, Aijii rapidly changed direction, making a downward sweep at an odd point in the air where his youki collided with his father's.

The result of that cut into that point was remarkable. The boy had never seen anything quite like it. Before he knew it, his father had jumped out of the way, pulling Kago, Satsu, and Kagome out of the way. Aijii soon found out why. Five sharp pillars of light roared forward, extending for about a good ten feet. When the light faded, five deep gouges were left in the earth where the light had cut it.

When his father reappeared with the others in tow, Inuyasha grinned at his son, patting him on the head. Kagome seemed quite shocked, unable to believe what she just witnessed. Kago and Satsu were equally astounded by it all as well.

"Do you know what you just did, Aijii?" Inuyasha inquired curiously.

"I just cut the earth." The boy replied, sounding amazed at what he'd just done.

"That's called Kaze no Kizu. You just cut the Wind Scar, the point where two youki collide and fight one another. That point is the Wound of the Wind. And by cutting it, you unleash the Kaze no Kizu," Inuyasha explained. "Figures you should be able to use it. I had to get Tetsusaiga forged with one of my fangs after it accidentally broke a long time ago. Seeing as that sword is made from one of my fangs too, Toutousai probably gave it similar powers, as well as the potential for Kaze no Kizu, maybe even more powerful things like Bakuryuuha. Keh. Kami-sama knows what the hell else…" The hanyou said aloud, his words seeming to be more directed towards himself than the others.

Aijii stared at his sword in awe, his father's voice getting his attention once again.

"Aijii. I'll teach you how to use Kaze no Kizu later. But you're pretty good. Almost as good as me." The hanyou said with a grin, ruffling the boy's hair.

Aijii smiled, pleased to have received praise. He sheathed his sword, and watched his mother who was now helping Satsu string a bow.

Kagome then proceeded to demonstrate how to fit the arrow to the bow and so forth, along with shooting the arrow as well. The miko pointed out a practice target that had been set up several meters away. Kagome picked up an arrow and notched it to the bow, firing within an instant. The arrow had a radiant pink glow around it as it whizzed through the air before at last hitting the target just a second later.

Satsu stared; her jaw had dropped slightly in surprise. Kagome then handed the girl the bow.

"Here, you try." She said warmly, offering her daughter the bow and an arrow.

Numb with shock, the girl took the bow and the arrow from her mother's hands.

"Try just getting a hang of pulling the string back. Then when you're ready, add the arrow." The miko instructed.

Satsu nodded, drawing the string back a few times until her arms adjusted to the amount of strength it required her to do so. She then added the arrow, taking a long steady breath as she notched it to the bow. She raised the bow and drew back, shutting her eyes, as if making a silent prayer not to miss.

And then she let go.

The sound of the arrow whizzing through the air rang in her ears, until a dull thud of the arrow making contact with wood sounded. Satsu opened her eyes and looked around frantically for the arrow. At last she spotted it, a few inches from her mother's shot, but on the target nonetheless.

"Yatta!" She cheered happily, jumping up with excitement.

Kagome applauded her and couldn't help but smile.

Both Kago and Aijii offered their congratulations to the girl, knowing that it was the first time she'd actually used a bow. Satsu was usually a girl that used her fists and not her words when it came to fights at school. She was, for lack of better words, a teenage female version of her father. She had her father's temper, along with a few other qualities, like his stubbornness and his occasional lack of politeness.

After Satsu had gotten over her shock of actually hitting the target, Inuyasha took the boys to work on their swordsmanship; Kagome continued working on helping improve Satsu's marksmanship.

-

Tsurugi dragged his near dead body into a bath groaning with relief as the warm water relaxed his muscles, which had tensed and started aching as if hell itself were his bones and they were on fire. The door soon opened, and an equally beat looking Aijii and Kago trooped in closing the door.

"Oi. Don't hog it all. Scoot over!" Aijii grumbled.

Tsurugi complied, the two boys also slipping into the water, each also emitting their own groans of relief as they felt their bodies relax.

"So…this is a bit awkward…" Tsurugi commented, quirking an eyebrow very much like his own father would.

"You're telling me." Kago replied with a snort.

"Not my fault. Satsu went and took the other bath. Then Okaa-san and Otou-san are doing god knows what in the other bath." Aijii added, shuddering as he said the latter sentence, unpleasant images crossing his young mind.

"How was training?" The young heir asked.

"Sucked." The two boys replied in unison. "You?"

"Sucked."

"Figures…I don't get why they had to work us so damn hard. It's like they're training us for war or something." Kago complained.

"Hell, you never know. Maybe they are." Aijii commented dryly.

"You guys had it easy. You've got no idea how many times Chichiue kicked my ass. I swear Hahaue was laughing at me. It was so embarrassing." Tsurugi moaned, his face in his hands.

"That's just cruel. Your own mother was laughing at you? Are you really that bad?" Aijii snickered.

"She wasn't laughing at me out loud; she looked like she was laughing on the inside. Her eyes were laughing."

The two younger boys broke out into a fit of laughter, attempting to imitate the elder boy's mother. Their antics only infuriated the young heir more.

A wicked grin crossed the young Taisho heir's face, and without warning he struck. Striking the one spot no male would ever want a swift kick to. Aijii gave a startled yelp of pain, sinking a little lower into the water as he nursed himself. When he had recovered, Kago got hit next and went under the water for the next few seconds.

"Tsu! You bastard!" Aijii growled furiously. "What the hell?"

"Dude, that was so NOT called for!" Kago yelled, also incredibly angry, having recovered.

"Serves you right for making fun of my mother!" Tsurugi growled back.

"Momma's boy!" The two boys teased.

"Hey, you wanna lose a nut next?"

The boys laughed at the young heir's threat. After a moment or two of silence and staring and glaring, it suddenly dawned upon the younger boys.

"Oh shit, he's serious!" The two yelled in unison.

Kago and Aijii quickly leapt out of the bath and tore out of the room, Tsurugi was hot on their heels, a look of murder in his eyes.

All three boys seemed to be oblivious that they were running down the halls of the palace rather indecently, shouting and making all sorts of noise along the way. They passed very stunned servants and dodged random pieces of furniture that happened to be decorating the long corridors.

"Aijii! Run faster! He's catching up!" Kago yelled frantically, glancing over his shoulder.

"I'm trying, dammit!" The boy replied quickly, also glancing behind. "Aghh!" he shouted, sprinting as fast as he could upon seeing Tsurugi's deadly glare.

The boys continued running, rounding a corner, the two pausing to catch their breath.

"Think we lost him?" Kago panted.

"I hope so…" Aijii replied, gasping for air.

"The hell you did!" Tsurugi growled from behind the two younger boys.

"Fuck, run!" Aijii yelled, grabbing his friend as he sprinted forward once more.

The trio took off down the long halls once again, dodging servants and furniture, an occasional broken vase or table left in their wake. As they ran, they failed to notice that they nearly knocked someone over. To their great misfortune, that someone happened to be Rin.

"Just what on earth are you three doing?" she demanded hotly.

The three boys froze with fear, slowly turning to meet her.

"Um…hi Rin…" Aijii began nervously.

The older woman studied the boys, noticing their attire, rather, the lack thereof.

"Where in the nine hells are your clothes?" she exclaimed, shocked at what she was looking at.

"They're um…in the bath…" Tsurugi replied flatly.

"And you three have been running around like this?"

"Well, only because Tsurugi threatened to castrate us! I actually wanna have pups when I'm older!" Kago cried out suddenly in his defense.

"You threatened to do WHAT? Is that true?" Rin yelled, rounding on her younger brother.

Tsurugi winced and slowly nodded. "Well, they insulted Hahaue…" the boy muttered.

At that point Rin's mouth was drawn into a thin line, but upon hearing her brother's words, her expression softened slightly. "So you were merely defending our mother's honor?" the youkai woman clarified.

The Taisho heir nodded in confirmation. "Hai." He said quickly.

Rin sighed, putting a hand to her head. "Just go and get dressed, all of you!" she said in aggravation, shutting her eyes as the three stark-clad boys trooped past her. "And go straight to bed! I don't want to see any of you until morning!"

With faces flaming red hot in embarrassment, Tsurugi, Kago, and Aijii made their way back to their rooms, graciously accepting thin white sleeping kimono from the servants nearby to cover themselves. Afterward they returned to the bath, gathering their clothes, and grunting good nights to one another before heading to bed just as Rin had instructed.

Three doors could be heard sliding shut until only the sounds of the night disturbed the peaceful silence that had at last settled in.

-

The next morning as everyone sat at the breakfast table was to say in the least, quite amusing. Everyone was slightly surprised to see Yuri once again. She had regained her color and was no longer shaking. She seemed to be back to her normal self.

"How are you feeling, Yuri-chan? Better?" Hana inquired.

The girl nodded slowly in response. "Hai, much better. Thank you." She murmured softly.

A brief silence settled in the room, but didn't last for long. Tsurugi, Kago, and Aijii entered the dining hall yawning and stretching before taking their places at the table.

"I found it quite difficult to get to sleep last night," Shippou began with a mischievous grin. "There was quite a ruckus about in the palace halls. Did any of you happen to hear it?" the kitsune continued innocently.

"Oh hai, all the yelling and shouting…I found slumber quite elusive as well." Hana agreed.

"Yeah it was really loud last night…" Inuyasha continued.

"I couldn't really hear myself think with all the noise." Kagome went on.

"Mei and I thought enemies had tried to storm the palace." Kyo added.

"This Sesshoumaru had feared that some sort of riot had broken out." The taiyoukai concluded.

By this point, all three of the boys had flushed a dark red, the girls looking quite confused.

"Okay, jeez! We get the point!" Aijii grumbled. "We won't do it again, alright?"

"So, we've decided that your punishment is to repair anything you broke and then right after that, you'll start close-quarter combat training with no breaks, unless you're almost dead or about to pass out. If you can still move with a clear head, you're gonna stand and fight, and no complaining or else you're gonna be stuck there all night." Inuyasha said in a firm tone.

"Hai…" The three boys replied in glum unison as they silently ate their meal.

When they had finished, the trio politely asked to be excused before rising and preparing to begin what would undoubtedly be a day from hell.

"Hey, make sure you keep your clothes on!" Inuyasha yelled after them.

The boys flinched before quickly bolting out of the room, their faces beet red and hot from embarrassment.

-

"Today we will announce which of our maiko will be featured in the main dance for _Dances of the Old Capital_. I've been observing many of you who I felt were prime candidates. I've spoken with the other teachers and we've all reached a unanimous decision. The maiko to receive the honor of performing a solo will go to Miyoharu. Congratulations. To the rest of you, my apologies for not making it. Your efforts will not go unnoticed. Just consider that if you continue to excel at the rate that many of you have been, you may just get the chance to appear later in the fall." Yume announced.

Many girls applauded and cheered, giving words of praise to Miyoharu. The girl herself was quite stunned that she had even received the role.

"Congratulations, Miyo-chan!" Hatsumiyo exclaimed, rushing up to her. "You did it!"

The two maiko embraced, smiling widely. It wasn't long until both smiles faded as the two soon realized what this turn of events would mean. Hatsumomo would not only be angrier than a full-fledged youkai on a killing spree, but she would stop at nothing and hold none of her anger back in her efforts to destroy Miyoharu. On top of that, Hatsumomo would force Hatsumiyo to endure grueling punishments that would undoubtedly make the trapped souls in hell cower with fear.

"Kami-sama…I'm so sorry, Haku-chan…" Miyoharu whispered quietly, addressing the girl by the name she had had before receiving her official geimei of 'Hatsumiyo' upon becoming a maiko.

"It's alright, Miyo-chan. It was never my dream to dance a solo. The stage is for you, Miyo-chan. The stage is a kingdom, and you are its queen. At least I will have the utmost joy of watching you dance. That alone is a blessing to me." Hatsumiyo replied softly with an all-too forced looking smile.

Miyoharu could understand what the girl was resigning herself to. Hatsumiyo would face many more years of hell on earth with no way to stop it. Yet even with this grim fate, Hatsumiyo still continued to hold onto the tiny ray of hope and push onward. Miyoharu couldn't help but feel an overwhelming feeling of admiration swell within her chest for the girl. It took true strength to stand tall against such bleak circumstances. To have such strength made a person seem truly extraordinary.

"Thank you, Haku-chan!" Miyoharu said softly, her voice filled with loving adoration, as she hugged her friend tighter. "Thank you…"

Hatsumiyo smiled and nodded before at last pulling away. "Now I want you to practice extra hard for me, okay? Even if you have to dance in your sleep just to perfect it! Your dance is going to be the most talked about for the next several years! You've got to make it count! You've got to be stunning, you've got to be elegant, and you've got to be graceful!" The girl said in a feigned tone of seriousness which caused her friend to giggle at her antics. "No really. I really want you to practice. Practice until it's flawless, or until you feel like your limbs will fall off if you move them any more. Whichever comes first, ne?"

"Hai!" Miyoharu replied, grinning widely and still giggling. "I promise."

"Let's not waste any more time ne?"

Miyoharu nodded vigorously, excited to begin. "Ne, Yume-sensei, what dance will I be performing?" the girl asked curiously.

At her words, the other girls clustered around eagerly awaiting their teacher's answer.

Yume sighed as she glanced at the expectant faces. "Miyoharu will be performing 'Kaze-hime Tames the Great Wind', a most fitting dance for the spring. Quite difficult, but I have faith Miyoharu can perform it with as much grace and beauty as she does with all other dances. I believe Haruka knows the dance quite well. Her expertise is a most valuable asset." The dance teacher said, sounding somewhat weary as she watched the other maiko giggling and skipping around the room excitedly.

The girls broke out into a chorus of "Ooh!" and "Ah!" stunned that Miyoharu had received such a complex piece.

Miyoharu smiled. '_For some reason, the dance seems familiar…_' she mused, still smiling broadly.

"Do you accept this honor, Miyoharu?" Yume asked.

In response, Miyoharu went into a low and very respectful bow. "Hai! I accept this honor and I shall dance with pride!" she cried, still bowing.

She straightened up, the dance teacher smiling. "You had best inform your Onee-san of the task that has been bestowed upon you." She said simply.

Miyoharu nodded, bowing once again out of politeness before quickly departing, letting her feet carry her to the front gates of the okiya.

-

It had been another long, hard, and grueling day of training for the boys. The only difference now was that Yuri would come outside to watch the sparring matches from time to time, her mother always close by. The boys figured the girl was still ill and needed special care to get well. They had no idea as to what it was that was ailing the young girl. Their parents had told them not to pry, and so they didn't ask. Besides, they had much more important and greater things to worry about. Things like when to expect Harukichi's next attack.

So far Myouga hadn't reported anything new. Harukichi seemed to be, for the time being, staying put. Yet that thought alone did little to quell the tangled knot of nerves that had settled into the bottom of everyone's stomachs. The anticipation itself was too much to bear.

The anxiety in the air was thicker than a blanket of fog. Everyone was feeling the strain. The feeling of constantly being alert, constantly being on edge was causing all to become quite weary. It was unbearable, exhausting, excruciating.

At last Inuyasha had had enough.

"This waiting is killing all of us!" He growled, slamming his fist down onto the table in frustration.

His sudden action caused everyone to jump, their expressions startled.

"What do you plan to do about it, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked listlessly.

The hanyou scowled at his brother briefly before he responded. "The whole waiting thing…it's really wearing us out, so the pups are going through this a hell of a lot worse than we are. They're probably riled up more than we are! They're the ones getting attacked, not us!"

"Hai, this is true…" Hana agreed, a grim expression on her face.

"So we've gotta do something that can give the pups a chance to relax."

"What do you propose?" Sesshoumaru asked, his tone sounding slightly more interested.

"Well, we've been training them all this time haven't we?"

The others nodded in response.

"So let's have them test their skills against one another. It'll be a learning experience. They'll face new opponents and different fighting styles. And while they're doing it they'll be enjoying themselves."

"Sounds good to me." Kyo agreed.

"Hai, I believe Inuyasha has a point." Hana added.

"Yeah, he finally said something that made sense. What's even more amazing is that I agree." Mei Lhi teased slightly.

Sesshoumaru smirked and gave a short nod of approval. "You're still here." The taiyoukai said.

Inuyasha grinned, leaping up to go and get the children and tell them of the fight that he and the others had agreed upon.

-

"Dammit, I'm tired…" Aijii groaned.

"Tough for you. Get up." Inuyasha said appearing behind his son.

"What? More training?" The boy said incredulously.

"Keh. No, you're going to practice what you've learned."

"So in other words, fight you, right?" The inu boy said sounding very unenthusiastic.

"Nope. Wrong. You're gonna fight Kago and Tsurugi. And whoever wins won't have to train for a week. Plus, the winner gets to boss around the other two." The hanyou replied with a smug look on his face.

Immediately the three boys' faces lit up as mischievous grins crossed their faces all at the same time, undoubtedly imagining punishments that could be in store for the others if they were the victor.

"I'm in." Tsurugi said with a grin.

"Me too." Kago said, his voice sounding excited.

"There's no way I'm gonna lose!" Aijii yelled. "I'm in!"

"Good. Now get your stuff, and we'll get everyone together and then start the match." Inuyasha instructed.

The three boys nodded, zipping off in opposite directions to retrieve their swords. When they returned, Inuyasha led them outside where Satsu and Yuri were sitting outside; their parents were outside as well, resting under the shade of the trees not too far away from the girls.

"Everyone ready?" Inuyasha asked.

The boys nodded.

"Draw!" Hana called out.

The sound of three blades unsheathing met their ears.

A moment of silence settled in the courtyard, the boys tense with anticipation, waiting for the signal to begin.

And then, without warning, it came.

"HAJIME!"

* * *

**A/N:** OMG Can it be? It's chapter six! And it's FINISHED! It's done! And it's EARLY! O.o It's a miracle! Lol or it's just Carrie. XD Yeah, just Carrie. Anyways, I know it's a little bit shorter than normal. This just seemed to be a much better stopping point. XP Besides, it'll make chapter seven much more interesting. So I hope you all will forgive me for gypping you a page and a half. I'll make up for it in later chapters, I promise. Anyways, I'd best get started on the next chapter, and hopefully keep these earlier-than-usual-updates coming. I know this chapter was kind of boring, but I tried to make it as interesting as possible. It's just a filler, and there's going to be a lot of fillers, because I've got to keep the plot flowing at a steady non-rapid pace. Alright well I'm rambling so I'll shut up. So ja ne until next time! 


	7. Advice, Proposals, and the Departed

**A/N:** I know this one's a bit later than usual, but I can explain. I got a new computer, and when I was about to transfer over the data and my mom had connected my old hard drive to the new computer, my hard drive started smoking and it fried. So I've lost everything. I've only just recovered all three of my IY stories, and I've still got another eight more to recover, plus the 457 music files I had in iTunes. But when I get everything as restored and recovered as possible, updates should return in steady streams. To do the disclaimer, I'll have Kouga.

Kouga: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Memoirs of a Geisha, Naruto, or any other thing she's talked about that isn't hers. She owns her stories, well what's left of them…  
Me: Hey! I was so depressed! I was in tears, damn it! You'd be crying too if you found out that five years of hard work, dedication, time, and love just went down the drain! Now shut up about that and continue the disclaimer!  
Kouga: Yeah, yeah, whatever. Boohoo for you. Anyway, she just owns her crap and her ideas. Carrie's ideas are Carrie's ideas, and oh yeah, the character Ichitani Mizumi isn't Aki's either. I think that's it…  
Me: Yes it is, now go away before I have someone asphyxiate you.  
Kouga: (Runs)

And now, chapter seven.

* * *

  
Chapter Seven: Advice, Proposals, and the Departed

It was a tense moment indeed. The three boys circled one another, each studying the other's movements. Every few moments or so, their blades would clang together as they tested one another's defenses, gathering information as they observed their opponents.

"What're you waiting for? Hit me! Stop screwing around!" Tsurugi growled, his patience wearing thin. The young heir had already gathered enough information on the two younger boys to know their style, their strengths, their weaknesses, and their skill.

The two younger boys seemed somewhat surprised at Tsurugi's actions, taken aback that one could be so impatient. Kago rolled his eyes in response.

"Alright, you asked for it!" The Inu-Ryuu boy shouted.

The boy charged, his features set in a determined look. Kago raised his sword, poised for an attack that could potentially take off Tsurugi's head. The Inu-Ryuu boy, thinking he had won, smirked as he brought down his blade, only to suddenly be thrown back as Tsurugi's poison whip shot out, tossing him backwards. Kago soared in midair for a few moments before hitting the ground with a hard thud.

Tsurugi smirked, leaping backwards just in the nick of time as Aijii came at him next, the ringing sound of the sword in his ears. Aijii growled low, his frustration showing clearly on his face.

"Kago! Get up!" The boy yelled.

Slowly but surely, Kago staggered to his feet, brushing himself off slightly as he stood. "Whew! That whip sure packs one hell of a punch!" The Inu-Ryuu boy exclaimed as he cracked his knuckles before proceeding to crack his neck. "That was a dirty trick, Tsu. But hey, I can do dirty tricks too…" Kago went on, a smirk crossing his features. "Aijii, I'd say now's a good time for plan A." The boy finished.

Aijii sported a smirk of his own before nodding. "Roger!" He exclaimed, giving a thumbs up.

Suddenly the pair disappeared into the trees surrounding the courtyard, Tsurugi stood silently, listening as the two moved about, tracking their movements with his eyes. He sheathed his sword with a sigh, hearing a whistling in his ears. Tsurugi happened to have picked that moment to kneel down and study a very interesting rock on the ground as Aijii leapt over his head, skidding to a stop before he crashed into one of the castle walls. Tsurugi picked up the rock and stood, carelessly tossing it over his shoulder, hitting Kago in the face with it who had started to charge at him from behind. The Inu-Ryuu boy staggered and fell to the ground, losing his balance.

Aijii growled, scenting the air briefly before smirking. Tsurugi stared at the younger boy, with an interested expression. Aijii grinned, swinging his blade.

Tsurugi's eyes widened considerably as he noticed he was on the receiving end of a Kaze no Kizu. Leaping to the side quickly as he could, he missed the attack, only to realize a few seconds later that the powers of the Cutting Wind grazed his cheek, earning him a thin scratch upon his face.

Blood slowly began to trickle out, Tsurugi growling angrily as he wiped the blood from his face, smudging the crimson substance on his cheek in the process. That had done it. The Taisho heir charged at Aijii with a killing intent, tackling the younger boy to the ground. Just as Tsurugi was about to deliver the blow that would finish off Aijii, Kago leapt at the older boy from behind, an arm around the elder boy's throat.

"Run for it, Aijii! I've got a hold of him!" Kago yelled.

Aijii nodded, scrambling to his feet. Just as Aijii was about to escape, Tsurugi threw Kago off, sending the Inu-Ryuu boy flying through the air for the umpteenth time. Only this time, Kago had hit a tree and was rendered unconscious, as far as Tsurugi could tell.

With Aijii now isolated, Tsurugi concentrated his attacks on the younger boy, who struggled to dodge as each came faster and faster. The vicious sound of swords clanging together filled the silent courtyard, the two boys locked in a constant state of alert, neither knowing when the next strike would come.

And then there was a slip in Aijii's guard. Tsurugi's blade struck true, making a deep slash in the boy's chest.

Yuri, who had been previously distracted by Satsu, keeping the younger girl's eyes trained on her, filling their ears with music from a CD player Satsu had brought over in order to drain out the sounds of combat, had decided just then to turn and glance at the boys, only to find herself frozen in fear, as blood began to spill out from Aijii's chest. Satsu looked at her friend to see what had drawn the girl's gaze. Her aunt had told her that Yuri was hemophobic. And now noticing that the very substance that Yuri feared was pouring out of her brother's chest, the girl did the one thing she could think of. Without warning she leapt at Yuri covering the younger girl's eyes, blocking out her vision of the crimson substance.

Yuri began to struggle, frightened beyond belief.

'_Of course…she can still smell it. Damn._' Satsu thought inwardly.

The girl began to scream, Mei Lhi and Kyo suddenly rushing over, the others looking at the girl wildly, bearing confused expressions. Tsurugi and Aijii had paused in mid-swing, turning to look at the two girls.

"Yuri-chan! Stop it! It's okay! You didn't see anything! You were just imagining it!" Satsu yelled over her friend's screaming, in hopes of calming the girl down.

Mei Lhi took her daughter into her arms, quickly rushing back into the palace, Kyo not far behind.

Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Aijii, and Tsurugi all turned to Satsu, their expressions bearing the same question.

"What the heck was that?" Aijii said finally, putting everyone's question into words.

"Anno…you see, Yuri-chan isn't well…er, I mean, she's healthy, but she's just not herself," Satsu began to stutter out.

"What are you saying? Make some sense for once, baka!" Aijii yelled frustrated.

Angry, Satsu got to her feet. "BAKA? Yuri-chan has hemophobia, BAKA! Because she saw YOUR blood she freaked and got scared! So shut up! She's been through a lot these past couple of days. And even after she saved your stupid life! At least show SOME ounce of understanding, baka!" she screamed, enraged.

With those words said, Satsu ran back inside, slamming the door shut behind her.

After Satsu had left, the boys and the others plopped down in the courtyard, each heaving heavy sighs.

"Damn this thing stings like hell…" Aijii groaned, motioning at his wound

"Feh," Tsurugi scoffed. "It serves you right."

"Oh but of course!" The boy exclaimed in an over exaggerated feigned understanding. "I marred your pretty bishounen face! It's only fair that I nearly lose half a lung for ruining your good looks!"

Tsurugi shot the younger boy a glare. "Shut up." He growled.

Inuyasha started laughing. "Like father like son, eh Sesshoumaru?" the hanyou said, still snickering.

Sesshoumaru glanced at his half-brother briefly before lobbing the hanyou on the head. "Baka." The taiyoukai muttered.

At this, the four of them smiled. A few of them found it difficult to contain their laughter. And soon the courtyard rang with the sounds of mirth.

-

"Iie, Miyo-chan…like this…" Haruka instructed, correcting the younger girl's posture as she once again demonstrated the dance she would perform later.

Spring was quickly approaching, and there was no time to waste.

"But I've fixed it! Several times!" Miyoharu protested.

Haruka shook her head. "No, you haven't. Here, watch me."

The elder geisha took Miyoharu's fans and proceeded to perform the dance, slowing slightly to demonstrate the proper position the younger girl should be in. "Do you see how this flick of the wrist gives the dance its power? If you do it too aggressively, it will not seem to be a struggle between two beings of power, but a life or death match of hatred. Kaze-hime did not hate the wind. She loved him and would have given anything to have him at her side. And if you do it too weakly, it will not seem that Kaze-hime struggled or fought for what was important to her. Do you understand, Miyo-chan?"

Slowly Miyoharu nodded, understanding at last. Haruka gave the maiko her fans, which Miyoharu graciously took, repeating the dance. Haruka gave a small applause of joy, informing the maiko that the mistake had been corrected.

"Now this is where it gets hard…" Haruka began, taking out a pair of her own fans, demonstrating complicated arm motions synchronized with body and foot movement, along with very tricky fan twirls with a toss here and there. "In this scene, you must capture Kaze-hime's fighting spirit and her determination and will to survive. Although she was willing to die for Wind, she refused to let go of this world so easily. She would have preferred to have succeeded. It is your task to capture all of these things in this moment."

Miyoharu nodded, determined to accomplish her new goal, yet inwardly she was terrified that she would not be able to complete the dance in time. It was two months until the spring dances would be held, and to such a prestigious dancer such as herself with as many mistakes she had already made, those two months appeared to be a mere two weeks. Miyoharu knew that she had to stay focused and alert, yet she could not rush forward too quickly or else previous corrections would be lost and all the progress she would have made would be meaningless.

-

After another three hours of practice, Haruka had finally decided Miyoharu had had enough for the day. Haruka had grown tired as well, having repeatedly gone over motion after motion with her young protégée.

Her heart began to ache, feeling Toji's presence. He was missing her. He was hurting too. Haruka sighed. She placed a hand over her heart, absentmindedly letting her memories of him fill her inside, recalling the day she had died without saying goodbye to him. How she regretted that. It wasn't until moments later that she realized her hand on her heart had traveled to the base of her neck where Toji's mark was. Abruptly she drew her hand away.

'_Kuso…He might have noticed that…he'll come looking for me…and I can't go back to him. It will hurt too much for me to face him after all this time without a word. And it might be more painful for him to know that all this time I've pretended to be dead has been a lie._'

She began to silently pray that her beloved would not pay any mind to her touch. She prayed, and she begged, she wished as hard as she could, just hoping that Toji wouldn't come to find her. In her mind, her conscience begged her to go after him, but her heart was not yet prepared to face him.

-

However, Fate seemed not to favor the Spirit of Anti-Life.

In the silence and deep darkness of Reika's room, Toji suddenly went stiff with shock, feeling Reika's presence responding to his own. Her touch upon him put his aching soul at ease, her presence lulling him to sleep.

He wasn't sure if it was because he had been in her room for so long with scarcely any food or water, or if she was really out there missing him too, but for once, since her death, Toji smiled.

-

After the incident earlier in the day, Yuri was back to normal and had long since retired to bed. The entire palace had settled down for the night, deciding to revel in the prospect of a good night's rest.

Yuri suddenly woke in the night from a cold breeze floating into her room. Looking around she found her doors wide open and the ghost of someone's waif-like form passing through the open doorway. Curious, Yuri untangled herself from the blankets and followed the specter-like being down many hallways until at last the spirit stopped at the doorway into the garden.

As she stepped through the door, a bright light filled her vision as she found herself face-to-face with a beautiful young woman admiring the flowers. The woman wore elegant garments of the finest dark green silk, glimmering gold bangles decorating her shoulders, arms, and wrists, and long, flowing silver colored hair that shone like starlight.

"Anno…who are you?" Yuri asked timidly.

The woman turned to look at her and smiled. "Konban wa, Yuri-chan. My name is Takashima Kizue," she said extending a hand in greeting. (A/N: Her name is pronounced "Key-zoo-eh", not "Key-zoo" like "Kaze no Kizu")

Yuri was surprised this woman knew her name, but still took the hand that Kizue had offered. "Gomen, but how do you know me?" she asked politely.

Kizue laughed lightly, seeming to understand the girl's confusion. "How can I not know you, dear? I foresaw your existence. You were the girl I saw so many years ago in my dreams. You were the reason why I knew to pass my gifts on to Oda Mitsuo," she began.

"But I still don't understand…" Yuri said, sounding confused, a lost expression on her face.

Kizue stared at the girl for some moments, observing her. "You know," she began finally. "You remind me of how I used to look when I discovered that I could see the future…"

"But I still don't know who you are!"

"My name is Takashima Kizue. But I'm certain you know me better as Kaze-hime."

Yuri's jaw almost dropped. This was Kaze-hime. This is the woman who possessed Wind's power. Yuri could suddenly understand why Wind was so captivated. She was incredibly beautiful; she had a fighting spirit raging within her, hidden behind her soft and loving gray eyes and pretty face, fiery just like Wind's rough-around-the-edges personality. She was the perfect match for him. There was no other way to describe it.

"I'm sorry if I seemed too abrupt. But I must tell you of something important. I haven't much time. But you must promise me you will tell Wind," Kaze-hime said, her tone quickly turning to one of urgency.

"Why can't you tell Lord Wind yourself, Kizue-sama?"

"I am not among the living. I would if I could, but I cannot. Promise me, please."

"Hai, of course," Yuri replied in understanding. "I'll tell him, I promise."

Kizue sighed with relief. "Thank you, Yuri-chan," she said gratefully. "Now I must tell you of this matter at hand, before my time here is spent," she began, her voice serious. At Yuri's nod, she continued. "A great war is coming. Greater than the challenges you already face. This war will swallow the country, and if not stopped, it will paint the rest of the East red. It will spread to the West and continue to devour all other lands before it. All shall bow to its mercy unless it is not properly contained. Comrades in arms, new and old shall join you. Comrades you believed were lost will return. Together you will stand, and you shall fight this darkness back, once and for all." She concluded.

Yuri sat silently, processing the new information, giving the woman a look of confirmation that she understood.

"You must know this, Yuri-chan. When you deliver this news to Wind, do not by any means approach my body. Do not get too close to me, do not touch me. It is for your safety." Kizue said, her voice still sounding serious.

"Your body?" Yuri questioned, a puzzled look on her face.

"Wind is protective of me. Although my spirit has long since abandoned my body, Wind still keeps it and preserves it against the tests of time. He is, in a sense, protecting me." Kizue explained.

"So…what would happen if I got too close to you?"

"We share pieces of a soul, Yuri-chan. Right now my body is an empty shell, soulless, lifeless. If you were to get too near, my body would respond to the presence of my soul, and it would try to take it back from you. That is something I do not wish to happen. My time to live has long passed. You are still a child, and you have a long life ahead of you. I do not wish to live again through actions of thievery."

"But…what if I no longer wish to live and I want to give you your life back?" Yuri asked quietly. "This power…it frightens me. I have caused so much death and pain because of this power. I can't stand the sight of blood anymore. Too much blood has been shed over me. I can't stand it. It makes me sick. This entire ordeal. I've thought many times of ending my life, or simply turning myself over to Harukichi. But part of me wishes not to give up. And I can't silence that voice." The girl said quietly.

Kizue looked at the girl with a sad smile. "My dear, it is hard now, being so young, but in time, it will be easier. That voice within that does not wish for you to give up, you must keep that voice strong within you. I too wished to die as well. The power that Wind gave me was horrifying. Wind had given me the strength to continue to exist. Find your reason to live, and don't let go of it."

Yuri nodded, slowly coming to realize that Kaze-hime's form was starting to become increasingly more translucent.

"Will I see you again, Kaze-hime?" The girl asked shyly.

"Perhaps…" Kizue replied simply, smiling once more.

She continued to fade away until she had vanished at last. The bright light that had filled the garden had vanished with the woman, yet her presence still seemed to linger among the flowers. Yuri approached the flowers and much to her surprise, discovered them to be white lilies. Her mother's favorite flower. The very flower she had been named after.

Yuri shut her eyes and breathed in the scent, relishing in the moment. When she opened them again, she was back in her room. The doors were closed, and there wasn't the slightest inkling that anyone had been there. Then she noticed it. A small vase with a single lily beside a very beautiful and ornate fan.

Looking around the room, she could see dawn's light slowly filtering through the shoji. At once she knew what she needed to do. She had to go to the North.

-

Yuri appeared at the breakfast table, all seemed to be oblivious to her incident from the day before, carrying on as normal. She was politely greeted by everyone as she took her seat. She had the fan in her grasp, her hand wrapped around it firmly, her nervousness threatening to overwhelm her.

"Minna-san…" she began quietly.

All looked up at her curiously, waiting for her to speak.

Slowly Yuri unfolded the fan and held it up for all to see. "Last night I had a dream…in my dream, I was visited by someone very important…" she said. "In my dream, Kaze-hime came to me. She wanted to warn me of something terrible that would occur soon. She also said to me that I must tell Lord Wind of this news. Therefore, Otou-san, I ask of you to take me to the North." She said in a level voice.

The girl waited several moments, allowing the new information to sink in.

"Iie…I can't, Yuri-chan. It's dangerous, far too dangerous. Even though the entire clan pledged their loyalty to aid us in our cause, I know that some of them…the guardians of the North itself, they side with Harukichi no matter what words are exchanged within the walls. They are the spirits that reside in the mountain. The moment we arrive they will undoubtedly refuse you entry. I cannot take you, Yuri-chan." Kyo said in a serious voice, his expression grim.

"I know that it will be dangerous. But it's a risk I'm willing to take…for Kaze-hime's sake, I will do whatever it takes to get that message through. She trusts me not to fail. And I refuse to let her down." The girl replied in a determined voice. "I've made my decision, Otou-san. And I'm not going to falter. I won't back down."

With those words said, Yuri politely left the table and crossed the rest of the length of the room, exiting, the doors closing behind her with a dull, echoing thud.

-

Mizumi panted, exhausted from running. Harukichi refused to quit pursuing her. Ever since he had recovered enough of his strength to walk, he chased her daily. Mizumi knew that he was infatuated with her, but she refused to return his affections. She found Harukichi's existence disgusting. The fact that he chased her around her homeland everyday made her disgust that much more unbearable. She had hidden behind the back wall of a house in an abandoned village, praying that the miserable bastard wouldn't find her.

'_Kami-sama, please let him not find me! Please just have him give up! I can't take these stupid games of cat and mouse! I'm a Nekoyoukai! I should be the one tailing him! Not the other way around!_' The girl muttered in her mind.

Slowly Mizumi's breathing steadied, just in the nick of time, for it was once her breath had stabilized she heard heavy footsteps.

"Mizumi, darling, you can't hide forever! I'm sure your father's worried. Come now, let us leave together back to the palace. I'd rather not take you by force, Mizumi." Harukichi's voice called.

The Nekoyoukai girl growled low in her throat out of anger. Personally, she'd rather die than go anywhere with him.

"Mizumi, you're trying my patience. I'm going to have to take you by force. Come out now, and you won't get hurt." The San Ryuu's voice said.

Mizumi rolled her eyes and ignored him. She heard Harukichi sigh, and then almost instantly the sun appeared from behind the storm clouds that had been emptying buckets full of rain and snow onto the East for the past week. The light was blinding and the sun's heat was burning. The Nekoyoukai girl growled and hissed against the pain, unable to move.

"Ah, there you are, my sweet." Harukichi said above her curled up form. The sun quickly disappeared, and the storm clouds returned, resuming the sheets of falling drops. The San Ryuu reached out to touch the Nekoyoukai girl, only to have his hand slapped away as Mizumi staggered to her feet, taking off again.

The girl was still off balance from the intense light, but her recovery was quick. Soon she was darting off in another direction, leaving a false scent trail before quickly doubling back to head home. If she kept running she'd eventually collapse. She needed to rest. Her arms were burning, along with parts of her legs. She was certain the intense heat had left some pretty serious injuries. Growling the whole way, she at last reached her home, nearly falling through the door to the royal physician's apartment. The doctor immediately helped the girl to a futon where he began to treat her. Mizumi at least knew she was safe. She knew that the doctor would refuse entry of the room to anyone while someone was still being treated or recovering inside. Besides, Mamoru had looked after her since she was born. The physician had been her long-time friend and advisor since her mother had passed away when she was six.

"How'd all this happen, Mizumi-sama?" The doctor asked.

"I was being chased, chased far from home…" Mizumi replied.

"Chased by whom?"

"Harukichi-sama."

"Harukichi-sama did this?" The physician asked incredulously.

"Hai. He wants me for his own pleasured means. It disgusts me, Mamoru-san."

"You know, your father thinks highly of Harukichi-sama…" Mamoru began.

"Hai, I know. But I don't think highly of him at all! He's a sick and twisted selfish bastard!" The Nekoyoukai girl growled.

"I know, dear. He was hissing and spitting worse than you on a bad day when he first arrived. I'm sure he's a somewhat good person very, very deep down, but he has a horrible nature for the most part. Perhaps you should humor him. He may just be chasing you for the thrill of the chase. And if you stop running, he'll have no means of chasing you. He may lose interest and will most likely leave you alone."

"I hope so, Mamoru-san. Thank you. I suppose I'll try this new approach."

"I'm glad to have helped you, Mizumi-sama."

The two were silent, Mamoru applying various creams and poultices to Mizumi's arms and legs. He bandaged up the burned limbs, and sat silently, waiting.

A few hours later, Mizumi woke to find her burns completely healed, Mamoru above her, checking them over to make sure the wounds were completely gone.

"They've healed nicely. You may go. But before you do, your father asked me to tell you that you go visit him once you were recovered." Mamoru said.

The girl nodded, getting to her feet, departing once she gave her thanks to the doctor. She headed to her father's chamber, knocking on the door.

"Come in," her father's voice called.

Doing as bidden, Mizumi entered the room, to find her father and Harukichi having tea together. She bowed politely, waiting to be invited to the table.

"Sit, join us." Masashi said.

The girl approached, sitting at the table as far from Harukichi as she could get away with. Her father poured her a cup of tea, inviting her to help herself to fish and rice, which the girl did gratefully.

"I have some business to discuss with you, my daughter." The Neko no Taisho began.

"Business, father?" The girl questioned.

"Yes, business, Mizumi. Your father has been working hard to find you a good husband. As of now, I have found one for you." Her father continued.

"Have you?" The Nekoyoukai girl said curiously.

"I have indeed. I believe that your marriage will further strengthen the ties we have with our allies as well. With this assured peace, we can advance an attack against the West without any dissenters or doubts."

"This all sounds very lovely, father. But you still haven't told me who my betrothed is."

"Ah, yes, of course, daughter."

Her father sent Harukichi a look, the San ryuu kneeling before Mizumi.

"Harukichi-sama has asked for your hand in marriage, through a traditional ceremony." Her father said, shooting his daughter a glare that clearly read 'Accept it, or else'.

Mizumi was shocked. In her mind she was furious, hating her father and the san ryuu wishing she could beat the both of them until some sense settled into their beings. Yet she could do no such thing.

"You don't need to answer immediately, but at least within the week. Please consider it." Harukichi said, all-too kindly.

Mizumi nodded. "Hai, I will think on it, Harukichi-sama. But I am honored that you think of me in such highest regards that you would have me as your bride." She said, still numb with surprise.

Wordlessly, she asked her father's permission to leave. When it was granted, she rose from the table in a calm manner until she was out the door, where she ran as fast as she could back to speak with Mamoru.

-

Mamoru heard rapidly approaching footsteps, opening the door and was surprised to find Mizumi about to knock.

"Come in, Mizumi-sama. Tell me what has transpired." He said calmly, as he offered the girl water.

Mizumi took a few swallows as she tried to calm herself down. "I went to see my father. Harukichi-sama was with him. I didn't know what was going on. I can barely comprehend it now." She began.

"Take your time, Mizumi-sama."

The Nekoyoukai girl nodded, taking a few deep breaths and a few more gulps of water. "Harukichi-sama has asked for my hand. And my father wants me to accept no matter what." She said finally.

Mamoru's expression turned to one of surprise before resuming his usual expression. He sat silently, mulling it all over. At last, he spoke. "Did he allow you time for your answer?" he asked.

Slowly, Mizumi nodded.

"And he was kind about it?"

"Yes, unusually so."

Mamoru sat in silence for a few more moments, still pondering. "Then perhaps his feelings are genuine, and not just a fleeting fancy or a means to pass his time here?"

"But I don't understand how. The first thing he said to me when he arrived was 'Are you a hanyou?' because I have unusually more prominent Nekoyoukai features." Mizumi replied.

"He said something similar to me while I was treating him. He asked me if I truly knew what I was doing. But I do know he thinks highly of me. He is forever grateful that I got him back on his feet so quickly and healed his injuries. As I said before, I'm sure he's got good intentions and honest feelings deep down, but his exterior nature prevents those around him from believing it. I have a feeling that a long time ago he was a kind person, but something terrible happened to turn him this way. Yet, I also feel he is a despicable person and lives to hate everyone not like him. In any case, it would be an insult to Harukichi-sama and the rest of our allies if you refuse his proposal. Our alliance could break up, since Harukichi-sama is the reason why we've held together for so long. Yet if you accept, our alliances will be assured, and Harukichi-sama will be appeased," Mamoru explained.

"Are you saying I should say yes, Mamoru-san?"

"I have said no such thing, Mizumi-sama; I am presenting you with the outcomes of the options you have to take. It is entirely your decision to make whether or not you will accept. Do what you feel is right, what will best strengthen the East. You love your homeland, and I know you will do what is best to protect it."

The Nekoyoukai girl nodded. "Thank you, Mamoru-san. I think I at last know what I must do." She said.

"As always, it is an honor to serve, Mizumi-sama."

Mizumi bowed and left the physician's room, quickly retiring to her own. She unrolled her bedding, lying awake the entire night, deep in thought. The next day came and went, she still laid thinking, only this time asleep, in her dreams still riddling out what must be done. Another dawn broke, and another sleepless night followed. Two more days passed like this.

Her maids had come in several times on the fifth day, insisting that she ate. Mizumi hadn't noticed that she hadn't had a meal in nearly six days. She hadn't noticed how much thinner she was growing. However, she nonetheless did as her maids had asked, and ate as much as she could, refusing to struggle against them as they forced food down her throat. They left, and Mizumi resumed her never-ending thoughts.

Another day passed. And then, before she knew it, time was up. She sat up quickly, her decision was made.

Her father summoned her to his room, where two men awaited her decision.

"Well?" Her father asked impatiently.

Mizumi sighed and took a breath.

"Harukichi-sama, I accept."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the super-long delay. I've finally recovered everything, but school's been really busy. I'm happy to announce that every story has been recovered and I've doubled the amount of music I had. It took me a little longer to write this chapter since I had to rewrite most of it. I had a third of it done before I lost it. XP Which sucked. So I had to wrack my brain to remember what the hell I wrote. But then I couldn't remember so I just rewrote everything. I think this one turned out fairly well, although there may be a few inconsistencies here and there. So if you happen to find any, point them out to me, and I'll be sure to correct those later on and be certain that I don't fall asleep mentally while writing. Alright I'll shut up. Also, sorry for the cliffie! I know it's an evil one! 


	8. Journeys Near and Far

**A/N:** Here we are yet again! Chapter eight! YAY! Okay, so disclaimer will be uh, Mizumi!

Mizumi: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, me, or anything else that isn't hers. She owns her characters and her stories. Without any further setbacks (hopefully), here's chapter 8!

* * *

Chapter Eight: Journeys Near and Far 

Masashi and Harukichi couldn't believe their ears. At their confused, yet thunderstruck expressions, Mizumi repeated herself.

"Harukichi-sama, I accept." She said in a level voice.

When the bewilderment had finally subsided, her father bore a pleased expression. "My daughter, I am proud of you. You've made a most wise decision this day." He said while beaming.

"Arigatou, Chichiue." Mizumi replied numbly.

"You should be thanking your fiancé, my dear. You have undoubtedly granted his greatest wish today."

The Nekoyoukai girl nodded, approaching the San Ryuu and bowing politely before him. "Thank you Harukichi-sama for willing to become my honored husband." She said softly.

The Ryuuyoukai of the Sun grinned and nodded, motioning for the girl to rise from her bow. As she righted herself, Masashi seemed satisfied with the display, clearing his throat slightly to get the others' attention.

"I shall make the formal announcement immediately. There's no time to waste. With battle fast approaching, I shall see to it that the two of you are wed in less than a fortnight." The Neko no Taisho said.

"Nani? So soon? Chichiue, that's hardly enough time!" Mizumi protested.

"The Lady of the West, that hanyou, she was wed in two weeks time. I'm sure we can do better." Masashi replied somewhat bitterly.

"But she still had at least three weeks of preparation beforehand! So really, it took her over a month!" The Nekoyoukai girl reasoned.

"You're much older than she was when she was wed. I trust you've had more than enough time to educate yourself of those womanly things. If not, I'd suggest you'd ask one of the ladies in waiting to assist you. I have no knowledge of such things."

"But father-!"

"No, I won't deal with any complaints, especially not here in Harukichi-sama's presence."

Mizumi glared angrily at her father, seething inside. She didn't want this to happen, but she had to do it.

"Masashi-san, perhaps there is some truth in what Mizumi says. It is true, that the hanyou had over a month's preparation; on top of that, with the death of your mate, Mitsuki, she wouldn't have been able to receive proper education of such womanly activities, even if she had wished it. And being the Daughter of the East, many women would feel most intimidated in her presence. I feel that they would provide less than effective information for her. Also, it will take much time to have a proper kimono made, send out the word, set a day for the ceremony, and prepare the palace. I believe we can still outdo the Inu clan. We will simply make the ceremony much more than the hanyou's. We shall give it the grandeur and energy that the Inu clan's lacked. A proper ceremony cannot achieve its fullest greatness without enough time." Harukichi explained.

Masashi sat silently in thought for a few moments, letting the San Ryuu's words process. "Hai, you are right, Harukichi-sama. I was rushing into this. My apologies, daughter. I did not intend to rush you into marriage without allowing the time to prepare." He said finally.

'_Whew. That was close. For once I'm grateful to Harukichi-sama._' Mizumi thought, staring down at the floor. '_But I do find Harukichi-sama's want to postpone the ceremony a bit odd. You would think that the way he was coming at me, he wouldn't be able to wait. He must have something up his sleeve. Something very evil. I intend to find out._'

-

The moment they had been excused from the room, Mizumi leapt up and bolted for the door, and as she had expected, Harukichi followed after her. The San Ryuu matched her pace with ease, reaching out for the Nekoyoukai girl's arm.

"What is troubling you, dearest Mizumi?" he asked.

Mizumi whirled around, her face now dangerously close to the Ryuuyoukai's. "What are you scheming?" She asked in a venomous hiss. "Why did you agree to postpone the ceremony? I would have thought that someone like you wouldn't have wanted to wait so long. I know you're up to something. And I want to know what it is, right here and now."

Harukichi grinned and chuckled softly. "You believe I have some hidden agenda, Mizumi? Now, now, that isn't true. I've got nothing planned, just the day we will be wed. I did not wish to rush you in unprepared, my dear. That is why I've agreed to wait until you are ready. It's cruel and underhanded to force a woman into a situation that she is in no way prepared for. So you needn't worry of such things, my dear. I've nothing else on my mind at this present time." He replied, his tone sincere.

Mizumi stared at him for a few moments before turning from him and walking away.

-

The following morning many would find their peaceful slumbers disturbed by a certain pair's raised voices.

"You can't honestly be serious about this, Kyoshi-kun. Think about it! She could be hurt or worse, killed!" Mei Lhi exclaimed, worry clearly in her voice.

"I've told you already Mei. I've thought about it." Kyo said exasperated.

The hanyou woman refused to give up without a fight. "You were completely against the entire thought that Yuri go to the North a few hours ago!"

"This is her decision to make, Mei. She's got her heart set on delivering that message to Wind. And if I don't take her myself, Kami-sama knows how she'll try and get there on her own. At least with me, she'll be under my protection. By herself, she's got no chance."

At last, Mei Lhi gave in. "Hai…you're right. You always are…" she sighed.

A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," Kyo called.

Kagome and Inuyasha both poked their heads in the door.

"Everything alright in here?" Inuyasha asked curiously, turning to glance between his sister and Kyo.

Slowly Mei Lhi nodded. "Hai, we're fine," she replied, her voice sounding strained.

"Are you sure?" The hanyou continued to question.

"Yes. I'm fine. We were just having a bit of a disagreement."

"About what?" Kagome asked.

"Remember what Yuri-chan told us yesterday morning?" The hanyou woman began.

"About Kaze-hime and the North?" The miko responded.

Mei Lhi nodded.

"What about it?"

"I've decided I'll take her." Kyo answered.

"But it's dangerous for her! You said so yourself!"

"Kami-sama, not you too," The Kaze no Ryuu groaned. "I know it's dangerous for her, but she stands a better chance at coming back safe and sound with me than by herself. Knowing the spirits of the mountain, they'd never let her leave."

Kagome swallowed hard, slowly nodding her head in understanding. Kyo was right. Yuri was only a little girl. And terrible things happened to little girls when left all alone.

-

"Yuri-chan," Kyo called.

The girl looked up, a puzzled expression on her face. "Hai, Chichiue?" she asked.

"Pack some things. We're leaving." He replied.

"Leaving? Where are we going?" Yuri exclaimed in alarm.

"Don't worry. We'll be coming back. It's a short trip," Kyo explained quickly. "You see, Yuri-chan, I have some important business up in the North and it would be foolish to leave you behind when you've told me that there's important business for you up there as well."

At once the girl's expression brightened considerably. She simply nodded before heading inside to gather a few basic necessities.

She returned a few moments later, to see her mother and father waiting for her outside.

"Please, take good care of her." The girl's mother said urgently.

"Don't worry, I will." Her father replied.

Kago soon approached. "Yuri-chan, take care of yourself over there. Tell me what the North is like when you get back, alright?" he said.

The girl nodded, not knowing what else to say. Everyone else came to see her off, none of them saying goodbye, yet all of them saying in their own way for her to be careful. The sheer repetition was irritating. Yet Yuri endured it, knowing that they did what they did simply because they cared about her. She pushed the thoughts from her mind; she had much more important things to worry about.

And soon, before she knew it, it was time to leave the lands of the West far behind.

-

Kyo soared through the skies in his ryuu form, his daughter on his back. He glanced around in every direction. He was nervous. He had made it a point to not bring his family to the North at all. Actually, he avoided bringing anyone who wasn't a Ryuuyoukai to the North at all. Ever since Hana's first visit where she wished to become an Inuyoukai, he had been on edge.

He surveyed his surroundings once more, noticing the mountains were looming ever closer.

"Yuri-chan," he said in Ryuuyoukai, knowing the girl could understand him perfectly.

She looked down towards her father, listening intently.

"You have to know a few things before we get there. Firstly, whatever you do, stay with me at all times. Don't wander off. Don't speak to anyone you don't know. And most importantly, don't get lost and lose track of me. The North is vast, and much larger than the West. If someone with ill intentions were to find you, well, I'm sure you know what the consequences of that would be…" He continued.

"Hai. I understand." Yuri answered after a few seconds of silence.

Kyo sighed lightly, pressing onward towards the North, secretly wondering if he had made the right decision.

-

The large stone flat came into view, looming ever closer. Kyo prepared his landing and touched down upon the steel-gray colored rock. He transformed, gently setting his daughter down beside him.

Slowly Kyo strode forward, holding Yuri's hand tightly in his grasp. He reached out to touch the massive stone doors only to find the stone guardians suddenly surrounding them.

"_What is THAT doing here?_" The guardians hissed angrily, looking at Yuri.

"You've no reason to refuse us entry. I've come here on some important business, and my daughter has every right to be here as much as I do." Kyo replied in a cold voice.

"_The spawn of treachery is not welcome here!_"

"Treachery?"

"_You've poisoned the lines! And you DARE bring the result of that taint here?_"

"Let us pass. Harukichi is a traitor. He has deceived you."

Kyo stared at the guardians for what seemed an eternity until the doors at last opened, by their own accord it seemed.

"What's going on out here?" Hinoki demanded, striding out the open doors.

"_The abomination is here._" The guardians said plainly.

Hinoki turned to look at Kyo and Yuri, who had buried her face into her father's haori, to avoid having to look at anyone.

"Let them pass." The tsuki ryuu said in a level voice.

The guardians nodded, before retreating back into the stone, albeit reluctantly. Once they had gone, Hinoki quickly motioned them inside.

The doors closed, and Yuri soon realized she was far from home.

All the present Ryuuyoukai rose from where they sat in the entrance hall bowing politely. "Hail Kyoshima-sama, he has made a safe return." They chorused.

The Ryuuyoukai continued to bow in respect, waiting to be given permission to raise their heads.

"Rise," Kyo ordered. "I've business today, and I'd like to make it clear that no one interferes. Any questions?"

"Yeah, who's the girl?" A Ryuuyoukai asked.

"This is my daughter, Yuri. She has business here as well." Kyo answered.

"What business would that _thing_ have here?" Another Ryuuyoukai asked.

"Mind your manners, Takashi," Kyo reprimanded his tone harsh. "She wishes to speak with Lord Wind."

"My apologies, Kyoshima-sama." Takashi responded in mock sincerity.

"Takashi, causing trouble as usual?" came a voice.

Hundreds of heads turned to face Ryouji who had arrived in the room.

"Chichiue…" Kyo whispered, politely inclining his head.

"It's good to see you, my son." The Suna Ryuu replied. "It's a pleasure to see my darling granddaughter." He continued, nodding at Yuri who bowed politely back.

The girl gave her father a worried glance.

"Don't worry, it's safe." Kyo said to her quietly.

She nodded, finally pulling herself away from her father's side. "It's good to see you again, Oji-san." She said quietly.

"She speaks!" Takashi exclaimed in feigned shock.

His comment earned him a few laughs in the crowd.

"Are you finished, Takashi? I'd really like to not interrupt you," Kyo said, his voice filled with anger and a harshness that Yuri had never known.

"Yes, Kyoshima-sama, I'm quite finished. Just wanted a bit of fun is all."

Takashi turned on his heel and left. The room was silent, no one spoke. After a moment or two, Kyo and Yuri began to cross the room, where whispers of "Abomination", "Spawn", and other such cruel things rang out.

"Ignore them," Kyo said to his daughter quietly. "They just can't move on from traditional values and accept change."

Yuri said nothing, continuing to cross the room with her father. Hinoki motioned them out of the room and led the pair down the halls to the room in which Wind and Kaze-hime resided.

-

Hinoki knocked firmly upon the door three times. "Lord Wind, you have some visitors," The tsuki ryuu said clearly.

"Enter." Wind's voice called from the other side of the wall.

The door clicked and unlocked, jarring open a small fraction. Hinoki opened the door, motioning Kyo and Yuri inside before bowing and politely excusing herself, shutting the door.

"Kyoshima, what a pleasant surprise," Wind greeted.

"I'm glad to see you as well." Kyo replied.

"What business do you have?"

"Actually, it is Yuri-chan who has business for you."

"Oh?" Wind asked, intrigued.

Kyo motioned his daughter forward to speak. Yuri looked around the room nervously, noticing Kaze-hime's body lying on an elegant pallet with gossamer curtains surrounding the bed. She gulped nervously, shuffling slightly, deathly afraid to stray too near.

Wind noticed her nervousness and glanced from the girl to where his beloved lay. "Yuriko, there is no need to be afraid. You may speak whatever you wish." He said in a calm voice.

Yuri nodded, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Kaze-hime visited me in a dream two nights ago," she began slowly.

At her words, Wind's expression changed dramatically. He appeared shaken, overjoyed, and shocked all at once.

"She wanted me to warn you about a great battle that would occur, and if it isn't stopped, that all shall be painted red with the blood of the fallen," The girl continued.

Wind clung onto the girl's every word, absorbing it as if her words were Kaze-hime's presence itself.

"What else did she say?" Wind asked, his voice barely escaping him.

"She said that we needed to gather together forces to defend against the threat, and that allies new and forgotten will join us to help our cause."

"Anything else?"

"Anno…well, I know she would have wanted to tell you she misses you and cares about you. But she didn't have a long time to stay."

Wind sighed, glancing at where Kaze-hime's form rested upon the bed, a small smile creeping into his face. He remained silent for a few moments before he spoke. "I see," he said slowly, sounding as if he was in deep thought. "Thank you for telling me of this, Yuriko." He finished brightly.

Yuri nodded and bowed politely in response. "You're welcome." She said softly.

"Now if I'm not mistaken, I could have sworn I had heard over the winds that your father had some business of his own here," The Legendary Spirit reminded.

Kyo's head suddenly snapped up in surprise. It seemed he had gotten so absorbed in the conversation he had forgotten all about his own reasons for making his trip to the North in the first place. "Oh right," he muttered, sounding slightly embarrassed.

Wind smiled slightly, kindly opening the door for the two of them. "If Kaze-hime contacts you again, Yuriko, be sure to let me know." He said as they departed.

The girl nodded before shyly waving as she disappeared down the hall with her father.

-

Kyo held onto Yuri's hand firmly, his eyes darting around the hallways frantically. Even with Hinoki steps away, he couldn't help but feel overly paranoid.

"So, where has Toji-san been these days?" Kyo asked suddenly.

"He's been locked in your cousin's old room for almost a week. Perhaps even longer. He refuses to come out." Hinoki replied in a sad voice.

"How is he holding up?"

"I'm afraid he's gotten worse. He believes that she's alive now. He claims he felt her touching his mark. He's been grieving all these years. But of course, it's never easy to watch the woman you love sacrifice herself before your very eyes…"

"No, it's not easy at all…"

They continued to walk down the hallways in silence before they at last reached the door to Reika's room.

Hinoki rapped her knuckles lightly on the door. "Toji, there's someone here to see you," she called softly.

There was silence for a long period of time before sounds of movement met their ears. "What do they want?" came Toji's muffled reply.

"Well, I'm not quite certain, but Kyoshima wishes to speak to you." The Tsuki ryuu said with a soft sigh.

"If it's about Mei Lhi-sama, I can't help him. I'm far too weak to use my powers to heal."

"He can hear you. He's standing right beside me."

"I know that."

Toji's voice had become bitter and the longer the conversation went on, the more irritable Toji seemed to become.

"Toji-san, I've come on an errand, and no, it doesn't concern Mei," Kyo began, already sounding defeated. "Look, I know you may not even want to help me at all, but please listen. My daughter had a dream about Kaze-hime, and in this dream, Kaze-hime spoke of a great war. I just want to know if you have any knowledge or any additional information about this."

More silence, before at last Toji replied, "A messenger will arrive at the West soon, he will bring news of a need for fighters in an army. As for the many battles ahead, the results of the fighting are still unclear to me," His voice sounded pained and hurt, as if he knew something more that he did not wish to share. Kyo wanted to press the matter, but quickly decided against it. "Now, I've got some business of my own," Toji continued, the door sliding open, the Spirit of Life stepping out of the room before quickly closing it.

In a blink of an eye he vanished into thin air, his trademark white feather left floating down in the spot he had just stood moments ago.

-

He was sure of it. He hadn't imagined her touch. She was alive. And Toji wasn't about to let her slip through his fingers again.

He left the North, using his power to sense all the life energies surrounding him, hoping to find the slightest indication of where Reika was.

Toji had no idea where to start, but he wasn't about to waste his precious time. He had to find her. He had to know.

-

A few days had passed, and at long last Kyo and Yuri had returned from the North. Things in the West remained peaceful and undisturbed. That was, until two days later when that peace was shattered by a frantic looking toad demon running at top speed while carrying a staff that was more than twice his size.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken yelled as he ran towards his lord.

The taiyoukai turned, watching as his underling approached. "Hai?" he said simply.

"My lord, there's a runner from the ningen army. It's a request for aid, from Oda Nobunaga himself!" The demon said quickly.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow quirked slightly, curious as to why a great daimyo like Nobunaga would need his assistance. "Send the runner in."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Jaken ran off, returning with the messenger, who looked rather tired, yet relieved that he had reached his destination. Upon seeing the taiyoukai, the runner went into a deep bow, rising upon the lord's request.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I bring word from Nobunaga-sama. He has a dire need of more forces. He has told me to tell you he wishes for you to fight alongside him. He has also said that his oppressors are gathering youkai lords and their forces to join, so he has come to you, one of the strongest taiyoukai, to ask if you will fight at his side." The messenger explained.

Sesshoumaru stood silently in thought. "Did he tell you which youkai clans would be joining his adversary's forces?" he asked.

"Yes, he said that they are gathering youkai soldiers from the East. Apparently one of the North is also with the youkai in the East."

"I see…very well. Tell your lord that I accept, and the Inu clan will gladly fight alongside Nobunaga. Have him send another runner with the details of where we shall meet."

The messenger looked up at Sesshoumaru, going into a low bow of thanks. Hana walked into the room with some fresh water and a simple meal of rice and noodles.

"Please, you've come a long way. I'm sure you're quite exhausted and hungry. I've had this prepared for you." She said to the runner.

The runner seemed quite surprised, but accepted the meal nonetheless, giving another bow of thanks. "You are truly kind. It will be an honor to die at your side." He said before at last departing once he had finished his meal.

Hana turned to her mate, a curious look upon her face.

"We are going to war." The taiyoukai said simply.

-

In a matter of moments, everyone in the Western Lands had been assembled in the throne room, all confused, wondering what reason it was that they all had been summoned. All eyes rested on Sesshoumaru, who stood before them silently.

"It seems that we will be facing troubled times," The taiyoukai began slowly. "A few moments ago, a messenger came with a request from his lord, Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga has asked for our assistance in the wars against him. The messenger brought forth news that our adversaries, the youkai of the East, and Harukichi of the North, will become Nobunaga's adversaries as well." He continued, pausing to let this new information settle.

"So where do we stand?" Tsurugi asked.

"We will fight alongside Nobunaga's forces." Sesshoumaru replied. "This battle will be an opportunity to strike down our oppressors, it will provide valuable combat experience, and it can establish the West as a major power," He continued. "I expect that the message calling us all to the battlefield will come swiftly. It is time that everyone learns basic survival skills. Tsurugi, you especially, need to learn. In the times of war, the enemies will attack the heirs since they are essential for the continuation of a ruling lord's family name and because they lack combat experience and the skills necessary to survive."

"What're we going to do in the meantime?" Inuyasha questioned.

Sesshoumaru turned to his half-brother with an annoyed stare. "If you had been listening, dear little brother, you would have heard that I had said everyone must learn survival tactics." The taiyoukai answered his tone sounding somewhat irritated.

"Keh. I heard you the first time. I meant what's gonna be done in between messages? How are we organizing our army? Who's gonna be in charge? We've got to get an order set up." The hanyou replied, his tone also sounding somewhat irritated.

The taiyoukai smirked at his brother, impressed that the hanyou had put some thought into the current situation. He had to admit, Inuyasha's ability to think and strategize had definitely improved over the years. His years as a lord and managing half of the Western Lands had helped Inuyasha greatly with this.

It took Sesshoumaru a moment to come out of his thoughts and realize that his brother had expected an answer. "I will establish a chain of command shortly. I still have yet to alert the armies of this new development. When I have devised one, I shall inform you immediately." The taiyoukai replied finally.

Inuyasha gave a curt nod of understanding before grumbling quietly to himself. Sesshoumaru ignored him, turning to his mate. "Hana, I want you to teach Tsurugi everything he needs to know."

Hana nodded firmly with understanding, escorting the young Taisho heir from the room.

Kyo listened in silence, his entire body tense. The moment Sesshoumaru had announced that a runner from Nobunaga's army had come; he couldn't help but think of Toji's words. The messenger had arrived, just as Toji had predicted. That could only mean one thing. The war was coming, and coming quickly.

-

After Sesshoumaru's formal announcement, preparations for war went into affect immediately. Inuyasha was in charge of overseeing the training of the army, Hana was teaching the children about basic survival techniques and other such things, Kyo was put in charge of vigorous combat training for the army and the children as well, seeing that some of the enemies they would face would be Ryuuyoukai, Kagome and Mei Lhi were busy making medicines and poultices to supply the troops with for use on the battlefield.

All preparations were going well over the past few weeks. Even still, everyone was anxious, waiting for the letter calling them all to war would arrive. It just so happened that on a bright and crisp first day of spring while Hana and Tsurugi were out in the garden, looking at the fresh herbs that the day they had all been waiting for had come at last.

-

Hana had decided to take her son out to study the different plants and flora, indicating which were safe for medicinal purposes, and which ones if prepared correctly, could become potentially lethal poisons.

"Tsurugi," she called, kneeling down next to a leafy plant.

The boy walked over and knelt down beside his mother.

"This is called chlorella. It can be used for helping the immune system and cleaning the bloodstream of toxins. This one next to it, is cat's claw. It also helps the immune system. Miitake mushrooms, like the ones here," she pointed at a cluster of the fungi. "Just as the two others before, these also help the immune system. However, unlike the other two, Miitake mushrooms stimulate cell growth and repair. Mainly, it is most effective in repairing the cells of the lungs and the breast," She stood and walked a few steps and motioned her son over. "This is belladonna. By using its roots, leaves, and the top of the plant itself, poison can be made. The berries themselves are poisonous, but you can eat a few of them before you endanger yourself. However, the toxins are more lethal for dogs or cats, so, us being Inuyoukai, we would be greatly affected. Also, you shouldn't handle this if you have any open cuts or lesions on your hands. The toxin can enter the bloodstream that way and possibly kill you."

Tsurugi nodded in understanding, visibly gulping at the thought of facing the wrath of belladonna.

Hana promptly stood, ushering her son away. "Now, do you know what this is?" she asked.

The boy shook his head.

"This is a mandrake. Take a piece of the root to chew, it can be an anesthetic. It is said to ward off demons, since they cannot withstand its scent or its presence. However, it won't affect us. The youkai that it can ward off are more reptilian in nature. Much like our enemy, Harukichi. So use that to your advantage. Just make sure Kyo or anyone with Ryuuyoukai blood isn't nearby if you have to use it. It would do more harm than good."

Tsurugi stood, drawn to the strong sweet-smelling scent of a nearby plant. "Hahaue, what is this?" he asked.

The miko-youkai glanced down, smiling. "That is angelica. It does well as a cough and cold remedy. It also helps with fevers. If fresh leaves are crushed into a poultice, it can be used to help with lung and chest diseases. Other uses are for treating typhoid fever, chronic rheumatism, and gout. The plant next to it is mint. Its oil can be used to relieve pain and inflammation by cooling the skin of the affected area. I don't have much of it, or else the plant will overtake the entire garden,"

Tsurugi seemed highly interested in the plants, pointing here and there at one plant to another, while Hana happily explained what each was. Hana was in the middle of explaining aconite, an incredibly deadly poison that could paralyze the entire body including the pumping of blood to the heart, when the doors opened, revealing one of the servants.

"Hanajima-sama," the servant called.

"Hai?" The miko-youkai asked, looking up towards the servant.

"The runner has returned. He's brought word of where it is the army will be needed."

"Very well, send him in and offer him something to eat. I'll be with him in a moment. Also, summon Sesshoumaru. He would like to know of this."

"Hai, Hanajima-sama!"

Without another word, the servant ran off. Hana sighed lightly, turning to her son.

"I'm afraid we'll have to continue this lesson another time. Perhaps you should reflect on what you've learned today. Hopefully you remember everything I've showed you. I have feeling that time is escaping us, and we'll have none left for any further instruction. Now I must go and greet the messenger." The miko-youkai said.

Tsurugi nodded, watching his mother leave. After a few minutes, the boy headed back inside deciding to go out and train. He'd need the practice for sure.

-

"You have a message for us?" Hana asked kindly.

Slowly the runner nodded. "Hai, I bring word from Nobunaga-sama. There are rumors that the Takeda clan will be planning an attack on Nagashino castle," He said quickly, pausing for a second before he continued. "Nobunaga-sama is unclear as to when this attack will be, but he expects it to be in the next few months or less. The opposing forces still need to assemble an army, which is taking a considerable amount of extra time seeing as their main source for allies, the Nekoyoukai, are preoccupied with preparations for the Daughter of the East's wedding ceremony. Spies have said that the date is within two to three weeks until she is wed, and the Nekoyoukai will not form their troops until the girl is married."

Sesshoumaru smirked slightly. "Stubborn as ever…" he muttered.

His words earned him a small smile from his mate and a confused expression from the runner.

"The Nekoyoukai are known to be incredibly stubborn about set plans and refuse to alter them. Being cats, they're also quite lazy. Much like the common house cat." Hana explained, still smiling.

The runner grinned, nodding in understanding. "Then I can safely assume we won't have to deal with too much trouble in this battle?" he asked.

"None whatsoever." Sesshoumaru replied, his trademark smirk still in place.

A few seconds passed by before the runner spoke once again. "I must take my leave, but Nobunaga would like for you and your army to meet in Kyoto in three weeks. Nobunaga-sama is currently trying to negotiate with the local geisha houses in the various districts to allow them to bend the rules a bit and accommodate our soldiers. I'll bring word as soon as possible whether or not our stay in Kyoto will be confirmed." He said in a serious voice.

With that, the runner politely excused himself from the room and left, just as Inuyasha, Kagome, Kyo, and Mei Lhi all came in.

"I assume you were listening?" Sesshoumaru asked them.

The four nodded sheepishly, acting much like as if they were children being reprimanded for being caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Sesshoumaru stayed silent surveying them all, obviously deep in thought. Out of the corner of the taiyoukai's eye, he saw his son sparring with one of the soldiers, Aijii and Kago engaged in a match of their own, and Satsu and Yuri busy picking flowers.

"It is in my personal opinion that children should not be dragged into war," The taiyoukai said finally.

Catching on rather quickly, the four nodded.

"What do you suggest?" Mei Lhi asked.

"Take them home, to the modern era." Sesshoumaru answered simply.

"And have them do what?" Inuyasha inquired, quirking an eyebrow.

"Do they not have some place of public education or something of that sort?"

At his words, Kagome and Mei Lhi flinched suddenly. Apparently the two had forgotten entirely that their children weren't grown adults as they were, and still had to attend junior high school like every normal schoolchild. (A/N: This actually occurred to me earlier today. I just happened to realize that lol. I too, forgot they had to go to school.)

"Kuso! They've been missing for over five months!" Mei Lhi groaned.

"How are we going to explain this one?" Kagome wailed miserably.

As if on cue, Shippou waltzed into the room whistling innocently wearing a wicked smirk. Inuyasha instantly got suspicious, recognizing that smug look from since the kitsune was still a child.

"What did you do?" the hanyou growled.

Shippou's smirk grew slightly. "Well, it seems the school had a terrible accident. Part of it burned down, and the school has been closed and won't be opening back up until next week. Of course, the wing that burned down was the sixth to ninth grade block, so all those students have had an extended vacation. Sadly, they'll have to make up the rest of the year during when they would usually have their vacation. Oh well. It's a worthy sacrifice." He said innocently.

"Shippou-chan, you didn't…" Kagome said with a gasp as it slowly dawned on her what the kitsune had done.

To her horror, Shippou's smile confirmed her fears. "A little kitsune bi goes a long way." He replied, still smiling.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, I know, bad stopping point, but I had to cut it off somewhere. This chapter is already longer than my normal output. Usually every chapter is 11 pages each. This one went about 3 pages over, so you just scored yourselves a 14-page chappie! Aki-chan couldn't stop herself from writing. She got started and just TOOK OFF! Okay, why am I referring to myself in the third person? Hell if I know. Anyways, chapter 9 should be out soon. I'm very inspired right now and I'm pleased to announce that this story is 5 pages away from the big 100 pages in Word. So I hope you liked it, and ja ne until next time! 


	9. Lessons and Learning's

**A/N:** Hey everybody! We're back! Yay for chapter 9! Yay for updates! Yay for Satsu, who will do the disclaimer! Also, this chappie, I'm afraid may seem pretty boring, so please forgive me.

Satsu: Aki-chan doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, Geisha a Life, the character Mizumi Ichitani, or anything else she's referred to in her story that isn't hers. She owns her stories, the plots of these stories, all her characters, all 8 million of them, or how ever many of them she's got, and anything else that's hers and not by someone else. Without any further delay, here's chapter 9.

* * *

Chapter Nine: Lessons and Learning's

Kago and Aijii groaned as the school day dragged on. The pair of them plus Satsu and Yuri had been forced to return to the modern era by their parents in order to "educate themselves".

"Stupid Tsurugi, he's so damn lucky," Aijii swore bitterly.

"Why do you say that?" Kago asked curiously.

"He doesn't have to go to school. Lucky bastard gets home-schooled."

"On the contrary, I'd consider us the lucky ones. He has to go fight a war and we get to hang out over here. Besides, the Sengoku Jidai doesn't have any of the good stuff."

"What's the good stuff?"

"Well, we've got ice cream for one-"

"Mr. Oda, I'm quite sure ice cream has nothing to do with algebra." The voice of their sensei suddenly interrupted.

Kago nodded slowly. "Gomen nasai, sensei." He muttered.

Aijii sighed. Man, school could have never been so dull.

-

The bell rang at last signaling the end of the day. Aijii bolted out of the school like a bat out of hell but didn't get very far. Satsu had come from behind him and grabbed the collar of his shirt, holding her elder brother back.

"We've got to wait for Yuri-chan and Kago. Have some self-control." She said irritably.

Aijii growled at her, a scowl on his face. "Whatever." He grumbled.

Satsu sighed heavily. Her brother would never change.

"Are we ready to go?" Kago asked, appearing with Yuri at his side.

Aijii seemed to snap out of a daydream and nodded solemnly. "Yeah, come on, let's go." He murmured half-heartedly.

The quartet exited the school, starting their walk back to the shrine.

-

It had been the same routine for a week. Wake up, go to school, eat lunch, back to class, come home, and do homework.

With the same routine over and over again, Aijii had about as much as he could take.

"That's IT!" He yelled, slamming a closed fist onto the table where he and his three other friends had been spending the last half hour working quietly on their school assignments.

Kago, Satsu, and Yuri all looked up in surprise at their friend's angered expression.

"What's wrong?" Kago asked hesitantly.

"Everything!" Aijii growled furiously in response.

"Could you elaborate on that a little?"

"Don't you get it? We're getting left behind! Tsurugi gets to have all the action because he's older than us, and he gets to fight on the front lines against youkai. We should be doing that too! But no, we're not even given the damned chance to show everyone what we can do! We're just _so_ weak, and such little kids that we _deserve_ to be left behind!"

"It's not so bad," Yuri said quietly.

"Not so bad? Your Okaa-san was fighting armies of youkai on her own at your age! Yet she can't trust you or your brother to be able to handle things on your own?" Aijii shot back.

"But you forget, Okaa-san didn't live a life where she was loved and cared for. She had to be tougher to survive. She had to grow up as a hanyou alone in the world. Just like your Otou-san, Aijii-kun." Yuri explained calmly, seemingly not even fazed by the elder boy's temper.

"Yeah, but you're more powerful than your mother was too! You're Kaze-hime's reincarnation or whatever. You'd think your own mother would have a little faith in you!"

"Aijii, knock it off," Kago muttered irritably. "I get it, alright? I know it's unfair that we're not able to help out when we're more than capable of taking on the opposing army. It's what we've spent all this time training for. I understand that it's upsetting that after all this time and effort, we're just sitting on the sidelines. But you've just got to understand something too, Aijii. Our parents care about us, and they don't want us to get hurt. We're what they're fighting for. It's us that keeps them strong. Don't you realize that?"

Slowly Aijii began to calm down. "Sorry," he murmured to his companions. "I guess I really lost it."

Kago smirked slightly. "That's an understatement."

Aijii glowered at his best friend for a few seconds in feigned hatred before quickly returning to his normal smiling and laughing face. "Well," he began with a grin. "Since we can't help directly, we may as well just find whatever information we can about this whole thing. Maybe we might find something useful to help out." He finished.

"What do you suggest, oh brilliant one?" Satsu dared, finally deciding to join the conversation at last.

"I thought that maybe we could make this a special project, oh stupid sister of mine." The boy replied tauntingly.

Satsu rolled her eyes in response. Kago sighed, shaking his head at his friend's antics. Yuri said nothing nor made any motions to indicate her thoughts.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get going already!" Aijii exclaimed.

Quick as a flash the boy left the room, slamming a heavy volume onto the tabletop when he returned.

Kago glanced at the book's dusty cover, groaning aloud as he read the title.

"You've got to be kidding. 'Japan's History from Civilization to Modern Day'? We'll be reading this for the next three years!" He complained.

"Which is exactly why we've got to start right away. Besides, it can't be too hard. We've got a pretty narrowed down time frame. Sengoku Jidai is the time frame; Nobunaga's still alive, so that sets us in the fifteen hundreds. Also, they've got gunpowder which narrows it down even more. Did Sesshoumaru-oji-san happen to mention where the attack might be, and who it'd be against?" Aijii said in a lengthy manner, speaking quickly.

"Nagashino Castle," Yuri answered. "The rumor is that the Takeda clan is planning an attack there."

The boy's eyes lit up immediately as he scanned the book's table of contents, his finger stopping on an entry. "Look at this! Here, turn to page six hundred forty," Once the book had been flipped to the proper place, the boy continued. "Here it is. The Battle of Nagashino, Nobunaga versus the Takeda clan. Exactly as how they told us. This has to be it, I just know it." He said.

Kago, Satsu, and Yuri all peered down at the page, reading quickly.

"So it looks like we're going to be finding out everything we possibly can about the Battle of Nagashino?" Satsu asked, sighing.

Aijii nodded with a grin.

"Well, come on, let's get started!"

-

He had searched every corner or Japan, and still no sign of her. Toji sighed. Perhaps he was losing it. He truly must've been imagining Reika's presence. The others were right. She was dead and wasn't coming back no matter what he thought or felt.

In anguish he cried out to the heavens, cursing everything that existed, everything that had the ability to live and thrive. Reika had been robbed of her life, even if she had given it up to her closest friend, she still lost what rightfully hers. All living things mocked her death. While she had died, all else got to live.

It was in that moment Toji began to hate.

-

"You're so lucky to be engaged to such a wonderful man, Mizumi-sama!" Miseru, one of Mizumi's three maids, exclaimed excitedly.

Mizumi sighed as she slumped her shoulders. "Look, I just need someone to teach me how to be a wife. Can you help or not?" the Nekoyoukai said irritably.

Miseru nodded vigorously in response. Mizumi then turned to her other two maids, Kyoriko and Ikarisu. "What about you two?" she asked.

The two nodded immediately. Mizumi sighed again, her head falling into her hands.

"What seems to be the matter, Mizumi-sama?" Kyoriko asked in a motherly tone.

"I…I just don't want to be married, not yet anyway. Especially not to someone I could care less about." The girl replied bitterly.

"No one wants to get married at first, my dear. I too had to marry for reasons that were for the best of our homeland. These choices we make are hard to bear at first, but it does get easier." The maid said calmly.

"Kyoriko is right," Ikarisu agreed. "Sure, it'll be hard now, but it should get better. And if it doesn't, make the best you can of your situation." She added.

Mizumi sat in silence mulling the words over in her mind. All three of her maids were several years older than she was and each was happily married. They knew better than anyone what marrying for the sake of their homeland was like.

-

The three maids watched Mizumi as she sat in deep thought. Miseru was the first to move; she smiled enthusiastically as she took the young girl's hand and began to move her to stand. "Come now Mizumi-sama, we have no time to waste. Just think of this as some time for ourselves, ne? So what would you like to learn first? There are many duties a wife should know." She said, her voice kind.

Mizumi stood in front of the trio wondering what they had in store for her. "Well, what do you suggest? I mean I know I'll need to learn to act the way I should, and know the things that people will expect of me when I someday help with ruling the lands." She inquired curiously.

"This is true Mizumi-sama, but there are also many more concepts to go over. Things like politeness, manners, child rearing, the way you should act when with your husband, and such." Ikarisu continued.

"Well how about we start small and work our way to the more in depth subjects." Kyoriko chimed in, "We could start with the politeness and manners, and we could also work on your posture so you will be able to represent your nobility just by the way you present yourself."

Mizumi nodded agreeing, "Alright let's get this over with…" she muttered quite unenthusiastically.

The four of them made their way to an empty room where they would be able to practice their lessons. The maids went through making sure they had the necessary equipment needed to teach the young Nekoyoukai. As Mizumi stood to the side she watched as the three set out collecting random items like books, and plates. They also managed to set up a table on the other side of the room.

"Okay! I think we're all set to start your lessons Mizumi-sama," Kyoriko said cheerfully as she surveyed the room making sure everything was in place. She picked up some of the books they had found and walked over to where Mizumi stood.

Mizumi watched as Kyoriko strode over to her, books in hand, and looked at the maid quizzically. "Am I supposed to read all of those? I really don't think 'The Art of Paper Folding' is going to help me become more polite…" she said sarcastically.

"Actually, Mizumi-sama…" Kyoriko said as she placed the said book on top of the young Nekoyoukai's head right between her ears. "It will help you quite a bit, not just with politeness, but with your poise." At Mizumi's confused expression, she continued, "You will have to walk with a straight back and perfect balance to keep this book from falling off of your head, after you have kept that one book up for long enough then we will add another." She explained smiling.

Mizumi put her hand up to catch the book as it began leaning to one side and steadied it once more upon her head. "Okay, so am I just going to walk around with the book on my head until I can walk normally while the book stays on my head?" she asked, letting go of the book only to jerk it to one side as she tried to keep it steady. However, as much as she tried for the book to stay put, it simply kept sliding from side to side until at long last her efforts failed her as she promptly stopped to catch it before it fell off.

It was Ikarisu and Miseru's turn to walk up to the girl their own smiles plastered on their faces as she continued her battle with balancing the book on her head. "Now would we really make it so easy for you Mizumi-sama?" Ikarisu teased.

"We are going to work on your manners as well, kill two birds with one stone really." Miseru continued as the two giggled lightly as Mizumi moved once more to catch the book before it fell to the ground.

"Hey, I have manners, what more do I need to learn?" Mizumi protested, starting to get used to the feeling of the book on her head.

"Well, there is always room for improvement; it is true that you are very well mannered thanks to your upbringing and observing the ones around you. However, you are not near perfect, and we are just going to help you get closer to that rank." Kyoriko replied.

"Alright, what do I need to work on then? If I know what to work on then I'll be able to get it done in no time." Mizumi said, confidence showing in her voice as she folded her arms and smiled triumphantly, the book now resting nicely atop her head. (A/N: OMG! This officially makes 100 pages in Word!)

"Well first, we'll have to work on your greetings. You are already very formal with people that you don't know which is good but you will have to be better when you are married. You will have to know many of the demons that live around you and their heirs. It is also good to give a very welcoming bow when they arrive at your home. And it is also important that you welcome an expected guest just in case they will one day become an ally to your lands. Now we'll enter the room and you will greet us as instructed." Miseru explained.

"You will also have to do this while keeping that book nicely seated on your head." Kyoriko added still smiling at the girl.

As the three exited the room Mizumi walked over to the door, making sure not to upset the book on her head. Hearing a knock on the door she took her cue and opened the door for her guests. Kyoriko was the first to walk through the door. She gave a deep bow before continuing through the door, waiting for Mizumi to make her move. Treating the book as if it were a hat the young heiress took the book in her hand before performing a deep bow welcoming her guests into the room before quickly straightening again while placing the book safely back upon her head.

"Very nicely done Mizumi-sama." Miseru said, smiling brightly at the girl.

Beaming, the soon-to-be wife smiled just as she felt more weight being set on her head. "Ah, another book?!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, I believe you are ready for another one, you have been doing well with just one, now you must perfect the art of pouring tea without dropping the books." Ikarisu explained as she handed the cat girl her pot of tea then turned to join the other two at the makeshift table placed earlier in the lesson.

Trying to keep the balance of the books, Mizumi moved about looking for the balance she once had. Eventually she became comfortable with the added weight and began to walk toward the table where the three maids raised their cups to her so she could pour the tea. Shakily she approached the first of the three cups, before pouring, making sure she had the books under control and her stance balanced. She smiled as she finished the first cup, and then moved gingerly to the next. After completing the second cup she walked around the table for Kyoriko's cup.

However her moment of pride was short lived. In her concentration, she failed to notice the wrinkle in the rug beneath the table, and with a loud thud, along with her groan of discomfort, she toppled over, landing on her face, the books falling to the floor, the tea still resting nicely in her hands as she strained to hold it above her head so as not to break the pot.

Her ears twitched hearing the muffled laughter of her three maids, who were turning blue trying not to break into fits of laughter but failing miserably.

Mizumi looked up at them glaring angrily. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up…you're just lucky I didn't let this tea fly and spill all over you…" she muttered bitterly at the trio.

"Well I think that is enough for today, I believe we will start with child rearing and behavior tomorrow. I expect to see you keep this posture in use or I will have to put more books on your head." Kyoriko teased as Mizumi stood holding the tea pot in front of her.

Relieving the young girl of her burden, Ikarisu took the tea pot from Mizumi and promptly left the room, Miseru and Kyoriko following after her.

With a sigh, the young Nekoyoukai at long last headed for her room to have a well-earned good nights' sleep.

-

The next morning, after helping herself to breakfast and a relaxing bath, Mizumi headed to the spare room that she and her three maids used for her lessons.

"Good morning minna-san." The cat girl said cheerfully in greeting.

"Good morning Mizumi-sama." the three said in unison.

"Are you ready to learn how to care for your future children?" Ikarisu asked, smiling warmly as she handed Mizumi a baby doll clad in naught but a loincloth. "First we will learn how to change a soiled loincloth, or your child will be very uncomfortable."

"Uh…right, so am I going to be given an example? Or am I just going to take a whack at it?" Mizumi asked, holding the doll at arms length looking as though it had suddenly grown five extra heads.

"Well let's just see how well you do. Go ahead and try to change the doll and we'll see how you do." Miseru replied with a small grin.

"Alright, here goes nothing…" The Nekoyoukai girl muttered, hesitation and nervousness clearly evident in her voice.

With that, Mizumi set the doll down and began to remove the cloth. She placed the 'soiled' cloth to the side, reaching for the clean one that was neatly folded on a small table. She took the fresh cloth in her hand; she gently lifted the doll up and placed the new cloth underneath the doll and tied the loose ends into small knots at the sides of the doll's waist. Double-checking that her knots were tightly tied, she handed the freshly changed doll to Kyoriko.

"So, how did I do for my first try?" she asked with a smile as she waited for her answer.

Kyoriko examined the doll, holding it at an arms length so as to check the cloth, until she made a slight movement and the cloth slipped from the doll and onto the floor.

"You did quite well, however, next time make sure that it will be tied tight enough so that it will stay on the infant." The maid replied, her assessment of her charge's handiwork now complete. She set the doll back down in front of Mizumi once more. "Now go ahead and put the loincloth back onto the doll, this time a bit tighter, and then we'll move on to the next lesson on the agenda."

With that the young heiress took the doll and laid it down again to retie the cloth, this time making sure that it wouldn't fall off.

The day went on, the maids showing the Nekoyoukai all she needed to know about parenting. By the time the three maids had finished instructing the Nekoyoukai girl, the hour had grown quite late. Far too late to proceed with any more lessons. Thus, the final lesson would be taught the following morning after breakfast.

After quick words of goodnight, the three maids and the Nekoyoukai girl retired for the evening, getting a much-needed night's rest. Mizumi's maids knew that the girl's final lesson would be the hardest to teach. They'd need all the strength they could get.

-

Just as planned, after breakfast and all the morning chores had been completed, Mizumi and her three maids met at the room that they had been using for instruction, for hopefully what would be the absolute last time.

Mizumi was the first to arrive. In her lessons she had been taught to wait for guests and politely open the door and greet her visitors. The girl assumed her maids would expect her to treat them as if they were guests and would undoubtedly expect to receive the royal treatment

A knock sounded on the door.

'_That must be them…_' Mizumi thought.

Calmly she moved to the door and opened it, and sure enough, her three maids, Kyoriko, Ikarisu, and Miseru stood waiting for her invitation into the room. Politely, Mizumi bowed, motioning them inside as she bid them all a good morning. Her maids in turn, replied with their own warm greetings and kind words. However, the moment was brief as strictness and serious nature replaced the warm, inviting, and carefree one that had been in the room just moments before.

"Today will be the last of your lessons, and knowing your relationship with Harukichi-sama, it will also be the hardest." Miseru explained, getting to business. "We'll be showing you how to act when you're with your mate. Mizumi-sama, there is something you must understand first. A wife is to be subordinate to her husband, no matter what. She has no right to interrupt or disapprove of anything her husband may say or believe, and should not interject in serious matters until she is allowed to voice her thoughts."

"So you're telling me that I'm supposed to just stand idly by and let Harukichi-sama do whatever he wants until he asks for my input?" Mizumi inquired, already not liking this particular lesson.

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. Unless he asks you what you think of the matter and you are in the presence of another head couple, then you are unable to voice your opinion."

"That's completely unfair! What if I have a different view than he does? Or maybe even a better idea than he does? I can't just sit back and let him take control of the land that I grew up in, that I'm trying to protect! What if he decides to do something horrible, I won't be able to sit there and do nothing and let him have his way." The girl protested, breaking into an angry tirade.

"Yes, we didn't think that you would agree with this, but it is the way that your father and Harukichi-sama will expect you to act." Ikarisu said sadly. "It's what's expected of you, and you must understand that, Mizumi-sama."

With a sigh, Mizumi resigned herself to obey these new rules, throwing away all prospects of freedom, individuality, an opinion, a meaning to exist. Such things were lost once a woman married. She was now in her fiancé's complete control, and there was nothing she could do about it.

-

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this most unexpected visit?" The Tora no Taisho asked as his close friend and ally, the Neko no Taisho made his approach.

"Business, old friend, business," Masashi replied with a small smirk.

"What sort of business, may I ask?"

"War business," Masashi began. "It appears we've been recruited by the Takeda clan to join in a war effort against Oda Nobunaga,"

"And why should this interest me?" The Tora no Taisho scoffed.

"Nobunaga has requested the aid of the Inu clan. This could be our chance to destroy those filthy dogs! All that need be done is simply go to war."

The Tora no Taisho stayed silent, obviously deep in thought. "Well, if I'm not mistaken, you're offering me an invitation to join the battle, are you not?" The Torayoukai clan head asked slowly after a few seconds.

Masashi nodded. "Hai. With our combined forces, there's no doubt that we will be able to wipe out what remains of the Inuyoukai clan."

"Very well," The Tora no Taisho said in a level voice. "However, I have not made an official decision. I will need some time to think about this."

"As you wish, my friend. But decide quickly. The battle is not far from now. Send word to my palace when you've reached a decision."

"Hai, of course."

* * *

**A/N:** And that's the end of this one for now. I know it's a bad stopping point, I'm sorry. And yeah, Mizumi's lessons took up the entire chapter. And it was boring XP Sorry! It's another filler chappie! But I promise the real action will start soon! So if everyone can put up with me for a little longer, I can guarantee they won't be disappointed! Anyways, ja ne until next time! 


	10. On The Edge

**A/N:** Hey guys! We're back! I'm soooooooooooooooooooo sorry for the super-long delay. I'm saddened to admit that this chapter has been finished for the longest time, and I've been grounded up until three days ago, and I was denied any computer access at all, so I couldn't put up the chapter, even though I really wanted to. But all's well. I'm not grounded anymore, so my first act of freedom is to post this chapter! And to do the disclaimer will be umm…Kago!

Kago: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, Mizumi, or anything that isn't hers. So don't try and sue. She just owns her stories and her characters. Please enjoy chapter ten!

* * *

Chapter Ten: On the Edge

"Are you prepared to join us yet, Masashi-sama?" Takeda Katsuyori demanded, his voice sounding frustrated bordering on the point of anger. "Nobunaga not only has the West's support, but now he's dragged Tokugawa's allegiance into all of this! I must know, are you on my side or aren't you?"

"We, the Nekoyoukai, are preparing for battle as we speak, Katsuyori-san. However, we cannot officially join the cause until my daughter, Mizumi, has been wed to Harukichi-sama. This marriage can very well ensure our victory. I'm also currently negotiating Torayoukai participation on this matter, and if my daughter is wed, we shall also have Ryuuyoukai support. So you see, Katsuyori-san, I have not been simply wasting my time." Masashi explained in a level voice.

At once Katsuyori went into a deep bow, begging forgiveness. "I must sincerely apologize, Masashi-sama. Forgive me for doubting your capabilities. It would be an utmost honor if your negotiations succeed and your daughter is wed. I shall not press the matter further." The man said in his most humble tone.

Masashi surveyed the man before him until at last he nodded. "Very well, I accept your apology."

Katsuyori rose from his bow, his stern expression and cool demeanor once again back in place. "Please send word to me when you will be joining us and alert me of who will be joining us once the negotiations fall through." He said flatly.

The Neko no Taisho nodded. "Of course, I'd be obliged to, Katsuyori-san."

Without another word, the Takeda clan leader departed the room, intent on returning to his camp where he and his army had been staying for the past several weeks. If his memory served him right, the Daughter of the East was to be wed in only a few days time. He smirked as thoughts of victory clouded his mind. He had no doubts now that he would fail. Nobunaga didn't stand a chance.

-

Mizumi sat outside the door where Katsuyori had just emerged from. Thanks to her quick reflexes and youkai speed, she was able to leap to the ceiling in the nick of time as the man passed, blissfully unaware that she was dangling above him, straining to hold on. The second he was out of hearing range, she quietly dropped down onto back onto the ground. Hanging from the ceiling would be an activity that the girl didn't plan on doing for quite some time.

Approaching footsteps alerted the girl that someone was definitely coming her way, and judging from the sound of the footfalls, it was Harukichi coming for a chat with her father. Mizumi grinned inwardly, looking forward to a second session of eavesdropping. The Neko girl had come to make it a habit of spying on her father and listening in on all the meetings he would have in her spare time after her lessons.

It wasn't long before Harukichi would see her. In a flash Mizumi darted into the room directly across the hall from her father's conference room, which happened to be her father's bed chamber, just as Harukichi came around the corner.

She waited in silence with bated breath, listening intently as she heard Harukichi knock upon the door across the hall. She heard her father granting him entry and the door opening before closing once more. Silently she rose, slipping the door open and darting into the hall, pressing her ear to the door listening intently as she had been doing moments before when the Takeda leader had been in the room before.

-

"What is the reason for this most unexpected audience, Harukichi-sama?" Masashi asked politely.

"I've decided on a war strategy, and I figured I should run it by you before attempting to implement it." Harukichi replied.

"Is that so? You have me intrigued, please elaborate."

"A strategy my late mentor, Haru-sama, used would prove to be most effective,"

"What sort of strategy is this?" Masashi asked curiously.

"Sesshoumaru's weakness is seeing his family in danger and being unable to protect them. However, the only reason why the plan failed was that Haru-sama's understudy interfered to prevent the two Taisho daughters from committing seppuku. However, the girl is dead. There will be no one to interfere this time around. Success is assured. Sesshoumaru's side has something now that they lacked before in the previous attack," Harukichi continued, pausing for dramatic effect. "Vulnerability. They are much more vulnerable now than they were before. The death of the girl, Tsukimisou, has weakened their resolve."

At last Masashi seemed to understand. A wicked smirk began to form at the corners of his mouth. "So I assume we'll be attacking the children? A direct blow to Sesshoumaru's heart?" The Neko no Taisho asked, making sure he understood correctly.

"Precisely," Harukichi replied. "However, I feel our central target should be Sesshoumaru's sole heir, Tsurugi. If the boy dies, the entire force of the West will die with him. I'm sure that Sesshoumaru would agree to turning over the lands to us after that."

Masashi's smirk grew broader. "I believe I would most like to test this strategy, Harukichi-sama. It will undoubtedly be quite effective in battle."

"It honors me that you approve of my plan."

"I do have something to add, to ensure our victory,"

"Oh? Do tell."

"If we are to attack Nagashino castle, why not have some of our soldiers masquerade as palace guards? Along with that, I can command all the youkai of the East to amass a horde to attack and ambush Nobunaga and Sesshoumaru's forces from behind, and attack the West itself, while it is so vulnerably unguarded. We'll have an assured victory."

Harukichi laughed lightly. "That's bit overkill, isn't it?"

"Hai, I suppose. But if only you knew how I feel about those filthy mongrels! Inutaisho did something many years ago that I could not ever forget, nor forgive. What he stole from me that day all those years ago, he took from me my empire, my power, my pride, he took from me everything I had, everything I cherished and held dear. My desire for vengeance cannot be satiated until I can destroy the West, just as Inutaisho destroyed me." Masashi growled bitterly.

-

Mizumi turned away from the door, having heard enough.

'_I don't know what it is Inutaisho did to upset my father, but at the same time, it's completely against moral ethics and proper combat strategy to go into an all-out ambush assault like the one Chichiue hopes for. Besides, he'll only start another huge war between the Inuyoukai and Nekoyoukai. Like the ones in the stories Mother told me…on top of that, Harukichi's plan of attacking the heir of the West is just as low and underhanded as Father's idea. There's got to be a way I can warn them. It's wrong that Father would have an unfair advantage over our foes. It undermines the rules of engagement entirely. Father must be incredibly desperate to defeat the Inu clan. I refuse to sit idly by. I won't sit here and wait for war to arrive on the borders of my home. I can't let my father make a rash decision because of his yearning for revenge._' The Nekoyoukai girl thought.

She started to leave, when she heard her name mentioned. At once, she was interested in the conversation again, her ear straining to hear the two youkai.

"Your feelings for my daughter, are they genuine?" She heard her father ask.

"Both yes and no, Masashi-san," was Harukichi's reply.

Mizumi's eyes narrowed slightly.

'_So Mamoru-san was right, part of it was for just the thrill of the chase._' She thought furiously.

"Care to elaborate, Harukichi-sama?"

"Hai, I feel I must. I do enjoy Mizumi's presence; she has the personality of a woman who doesn't take matters lightly. However, she's quite young and I'm unsure if she will be able to develop kind feelings for me."

Her father's laugh rang out. "If you must know, Harukichi-sama, I've tried to get her engaged for quite some time. All the young men she had been betrothed to couldn't bear her. She seemed far too bitter, far too unmannered, and just too unladylike. To be quite honest, it's a relief to know that you have agreed to marry her, and that she, in turn, has accepted. Besides, you make a finer husband than any of the others that she had been engaged to."

Mizumi felt rage suddenly rising to the surface. It took all of her self-control to not break through her father's door and start a shouting match with him. Her father didn't care how she felt about Harukichi, or for anyone for that matter. All her father wanted was to get rid of her.

-

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" A lookout yelled.

The taiyoukai calmly strode over. "Hai?" he asked simply.

"A great army is on its way here." The lookout said urgently.

"Oh?" Sesshoumaru responded, sounding interested.

"A runner is coming this way!"

The taiyoukai glanced over the wall and sure enough the same runner from Nobunaga's army was on a quick approach. "Let them in," Sesshoumaru said finally, emitting a hardly noticeable sigh.

-

The runner ran through the gates, bowing before Sesshoumaru out of respect. "I apologize for the short notice, but Nobunaga-sama wished to speak to you in person." The young courier explained.

Sesshoumaru gave a curt nod; the runner retreated inside the palace where Hana stood offering him food and drink.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, it's an honor to meet you at last!" A strong voice called out.

The taiyoukai turned to see a man clad in elegant battle armor and sporting a topknot riding a horse, approaching him. The man dismounted from the steed, bowing politely.

"You must be Nobunaga." Sesshoumaru said after looking the man over, taking note of the numerous katana he carried at his waist, and how he seemed to stand taller than the rest of his soldiers.

The man nodded in response. "I'm sure you're wondering why all of us are here?" he asked.

At Sesshoumaru's nod, Nobunaga continued. "The Kyoto geisha have approved of our taking temporary residence within their community. I informed them that the target is nearby Kyoto, and with our presence, we could protect them. I also received word that the attack will be very soon, so it's crucial that I move my men closer to the target area so that we're not too far away. Besides, I think it would give my men as well as your men a good chance to learn from one another." He finished.

"You plan on staying here?" The taiyoukai inquired as he quirked an eyebrow slightly.

"If you don't have the proper accommodations, it's no problem if we have to sleep outside. We can easily set up camp."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Iie, that will not be necessary. This Sesshoumaru has no doubt that you will find this place more than accommodating for you and your men."

Nobunaga bowed again, this time much lower than the initial bow. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama." He said simply.

The taiyoukai nodded in response before turning to the guards at the gate to allow Nobunaga and his soldiers' entry into the palace.

-

"I've received your message, so I am under the impression that you have an answer for me?" Masashi said, staring his friend dead in the eye.

"Hai, I have indeed come to a decision," The Tora no Taisho replied. "We will fight alongside you in this cause."

"Excellent. Now, you must know that Harukichi-sama and I have devised an attack plan. Would you be interested in the details?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"An ambush. We'll surround the enemy forces from all sides corner them in their own lands. Victory is certain."

The Tora no Taisho nodded, smirking. "Very well," He said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some important business that needs addressing."

Masashi nodded in understanding, heading for the door. "I shall send along further details when I get them."

With those words said, the Neko no Taisho opened the door and stepped out and left. Once the Tora no Taisho was certain the Nekoyoukai was out of hearing range and the door was securely shut, with no one else to hear him, he spoke. "Zetsuei," he called.

A Torayoukai with long, flowing dark green hair that was tied back in a ponytail and deep magenta eyes appeared at the Tora no Taisho's side, having come down from the ceiling and sliding back a panel of tatami from the above floor for use as a trapdoor.

"You are my best assassin, as well as my best informant," The Tora no Taisho began. "I'm not a fool, as Masashi-sama believes I am. I could tell that there was more to what he said. I want you to go to his homeland and find out. Report back when you have new information. Until then, stay hidden and stay silent. Understood?"

Zetsuei nodded.

"Now go. You can probably catch up to Masashi-sama if you hurry."

The Torayoukai nodded again, and before you could blink, he had disappeared.

-

"I've an announcement, minna-san," Mameha began, her tone serious.

All the geisha and maiko who were engaged in pleasant conversation stopped talking instantly, their eyes on Mameha as they waited for her to speak with bated breath. At their silence, Mameha continued.

"It seems this spring we will be joined by many guests. Many _male_ guests," She continued, making an obvious annunciation of the gender of the hanamachi's prospective visitors.

Some of the maiko giggled at the thought of men in the hanamachi, which caused the head geisha to feel the irritation within her rise threateningly close to the surface.

"This isn't to be taken lightly," she went on, her voice sounding slightly bitter. "The men visiting us this spring are soldiers. They belong to the armies of Nobunaga-sama and Sesshoumaru-sama. So I expect all of you to be on your best behavior, but don't get in their way of war matters. Is this understood?"

A loud chorus of "Hai, Mameha-san!" met the head geisha's ears, who in turn, nodded in approval, dismissing everyone from the room. She put a hand to her brow and sighed. It would be a long and difficult next couple of weeks preparing for the new guests. The hand at her head closed into a determined fist that slammed against the open palm of her free hand with a distinct slapping sound.

'_Time to get to work…_' she mused.

-

Masashi returned to the East, blissfully unaware of the tail that had followed him home. Zetsuei had spent only a day or two waiting for the Neko no Taisho to reveal or confirm the treachery that the Tora no Taisho had suspected.

It was on this most auspicious of days that the moment arrived.

The Neko clan head stumbled into his war room, seemingly over intoxicated, with a few drinking companions.

"So this is where all the evil schemes happen, eh Masashi?" One of them asked in a slurred voice.

"Hai, all of my strategies and plans are made here." The Neko no Taisho replied, a loopy grin on his face.

"What have you been working on recently?" Another asked, hiccoughing after he spoke.

"War!" Masashi declared proudly.

The others seem highly interested. "Oh? With whom?" They asked.

"Nobunaga and the Inuyoukai of the West."

Masashi's response earned him the roars and cheers of excitement and admiration from his companions.

"Surely you're not going to take all of them on by yourself?" A third asked.

"Don't be ridiculous, Saigo. I'm allied with the Takeda clan, Nobunaga's natural enemy, and my own good friends the Torayoukai clan. Speaking of which, I just won over the Tora no Taisho's support naught but a few hours ago! The fool! I can always trust him to be so naïve. Never questions my intentions, that man. He's like a servant to me, an obedient pet that will do my bidding whenever you ask!" Masashi replied, addressing his companion.

"How did the fooling occur?" Saigo inquired, his interest piqued.

"I merely told him, as vaguely as possible my strategies and reasons for attack. My true intentions are to get rid of those rabid dogs. I'll rally as many able bodies to overwhelm and ambush them, and their homeland, no matter how many men it takes to do so. Besides, it will be the Tora no Taisho's men and not my own. Why should I care? The Takeda clan has made a grave mistake in employing my aid. Nobunaga has made an even graver one, asking the Inu clan. We'll both be blinded by the animosity that's been stewing between our clans for the past several hundred years and instead fight one another and start our own war, instead of providing support for the ones who employed us. However, I must admit this turn of events is favorable," The Neko no Taisho explained.

"How so?"

"My daughter's intended is an eighth rank Ryuuyoukai of the Spirits. With his help, my efforts will succeed regardless of the conditions of our opposition."

After that, the conversation seemed to have stopped as the Neko clan head and his new friends helped themselves to many more bottles of sake, before at last passing out.

Zetsuei had heard enough. He had the information his lord wanted. Taking his chances, he bolted from the room and outside the palace, where he rushed towards the Torayoukai domain.

-

The following morning Mizumi awoke to find that today would be her final day as a free woman. She would be married in just a few hours. With a sigh she rose, deciding to review the lessons she had learned just in case.

But even that could not entertain her for very long. Her mind was clouded with thoughts. Regrets, concerns, apprehensions, and other such hindering feelings were all swirling around inside her, or rather, around the idea of her wedding. She didn't love Harukichi at all; she hated him with a passion. She decided to clear her head with a walk. However, the moment she attempted to leave the confines of the palace walls and head into the village, the guards stopped her.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded angrily.

"We apologize, Mizumi-sama, but by order of Masashi-sama, you are not allowed to leave the palace until you've been wed." One of the guards replied.

The Nekoyoukai girl growled, gritting her teeth. '_So he thinks I'm going to try and run away. Bastard._' She thought in rage. Promptly turning on her heel, she stormed away.

This time, she wouldn't hold back her urge to challenge her father. He had no right to keep her in a cage like this.

-

"Masashi-sama, there are complaints from a village a few miles from here; they say that your weekly food carriages have not arrived in the past three months. The village head wishes to inform you that the people are starving, and wonders why the carriages have stopped." The Neko no Taisho's advisor said seriously.

"If the people are starving, just kill them off, save the village from their suffering. Why should I care?" Masashi replied, rubbing his aching head.

Just then the door slid open, revealing an enraged Mizumi. "You should care because these people need your help, and not be cut off, left isolated to suffer with no means of escaping their hell, Father." The girl said viciously.

"Now, now, what's with this face?" Masashi asked curiously.

"You know _damn_ well!" Mizumi growled back.

"I'm afraid I don't."

"Don't lie! You're keeping me prisoner here and not letting me leave the palace, because you're afraid I'm going to run away! On top of that, your war strategies go completely against the rules of engagement! It's not only unfair, but unjustified! And now you're going to slaughter innocent people just because they're complaining of a problem that you caused and refused to resolve? I don't care what Inutaisho did all those years ago, but that's no reason to have to take it out on the rest of the world! Especially me, your own daughter! Who are you? I don't even know you anymore, Father! You're blinded by your own blood lust!" The girl screamed, her fury pouring into her words.

"Mizumi, it's for your own protection! With war on the edge of breaking loose, you make a most vulnerable target for my enemies. My war strategies are my own, and this is precisely why women aren't allowed a say in these matters. It creates quite a conflict of interest. As for the matters concerning Inutaisho, those are old affairs that you wouldn't understand." The girl's father replied in a level voice.

"Conflict of interest? Kami-sama! I've had ENOUGH! I hate these stupid subordinate roles that I'm forced to play! But most importantly, I hate YOU!" The Nekoyoukai girl continued, still screaming.

At last, Masashi rose from where he sat, his temper getting the better of him. "Mizumi Yurisa Ichitani!" He yelled, addressing his daughter by her full name. "This is neither the time nor the place to discuss this! You're openly disrespecting me in front of my advisors, challenging me to a fight that you cannot possibly win, and questioning your place! You are pushing your boundaries, Daughter! Perhaps this confinement will do you some measure of good! At least then there's some measure of hope that your vicious spirit can be appeased!" The Neko no Taisho growled, his cool composure lost completely.

"I could care less what you think is appropriate or not, Father! I've been holding my tongue for a very long time, and I refuse to let you stop me from what I need to say! No matter what you do, you won't silence me!"

In a flash Masashi had raised his hand and struck the Nekoyoukai girl across the face, knocking her off balance. Mizumi fell to the floor, raising her eyes to stare directly into her father's, giving him a cold and hate-filled glare. Without a word, she stood, and exited the room, slamming the door shut with a defiant snap on her way out.

-

Zetsuei had returned from reporting his new information to the Tora no Taisho just in time to witness the encounter between the Neko no Taisho and his daughter. Zetsuei had watched the scene unfold before him in complete silence. It angered him to see the Neko no Taisho raise his hand to the girl who so boldly challenged the wretched man that she had to call her father.

The Torayoukai scout sighed. He was going to help this girl. It was unjustified to treat a woman as an object or keep her as some sort of caged animal. It was also inexcusable to hit a woman.

He watched through his slitted eyes as the girl walked past, an angry red mark where she had been struck marring her features. Zetsuei admired her for her courage. Even though she bore the mark of recent slap to the face, she held her head high, her posture and poise emanating utmost dignity and pride.

Zetsuei sighed again. This girl, Mizumi, she deserved much better than this. He had to help her escape from this evil, or let her get dragged down with her father. He had vowed long ago to himself that if he had the chance to do something good for a change, instead of killing others or spying, he'd take the chance. His chance had arrived, and he was taking it.

-

Sesshoumaru sat silently, sipping tea, staring into the depths of the hot amber liquid, Nobunaga sat across the table from him, also enjoying a cup of tea.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Nobunaga interrupted politely.

"Hai?" The taiyoukai asked curiously.

"I feel it would be necessary to move our forces soon. Oh yes, and the Kyoto geisha have all cordially invited us all to attend their spring dances in return for our guarding them. I feel we should attend. The event is less than a week away. It would be a well-deserved chance for us all to settle our nerves and relax before the battle that will surely soon be fought."

The two sat in silence, Sesshoumaru, seeming to be lost in thought, while Nobunaga patiently waited the demon lord's answer. At last Sesshoumaru looked up from the cup of tea that he had been staring into for the past several minutes, seeming to have arrived at a decision.

"This Sesshoumaru sees no reason why we should decline their hospitality or their invitation. Nobunaga, you are correct in believing this will ease the tensions of the soldiers. I believe it will do some measure of good as well." Sesshoumaru answered, his voice level.

Nobunaga went into a short, yet respectful bow. "Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama. It honors me that you are willing to follow through with my ideas."

Sesshoumaru smirked slightly. "We leave for Gion in the morning. In the meantime, instruct your men to pack up. I shall do the same, and inform them of our change of position."

Nobunaga nodded in understanding before promptly excusing himself to deliver the news. Sesshoumaru drained his cup and stood, heading out to inform the others.

-

"We are moving," Sesshoumaru began.

"Moving? Moving where?" Tsurugi asked, suddenly alarmed.

The taiyoukai turned to his son. "There is no need for you to trouble yourself with concern. We are simply going to travel to Gion. The geisha have kindly invited us to attend their spring dances, as well as provide us accommodations during the coming months of the war." He explained.

"So we're just going to see the dances and stay until our enemies finally decide to attack?" Mei Lhi inquired, her voice almost sounding sarcastic.

Sesshoumaru's trademark smirk was back in place as he turned to face his half-sister. He gave a curt nod in response. "Hai, that's exactly what we're going to do." He said, his own voice soundly slightly sarcastic as well.

Inuyasha snorted at their antics, brushing off the entire exchange with a simple "Feh."

"So I'd suggest that everyone pack a few things. We will be staying with our hosts for quite a long period of time." Sesshoumaru said after a few moments.

Everyone nodded, heading off in separate directions.

-

As night fell, many things were taking place. In the West, soldiers, lords, and family members packed for a journey. In Gion, a young girl by the name of Miyoharu sat up late during the night, worrying that in the coming days she would be recognized for who she truly was, the daughter of Sesshoumaru, Tsukimisou.

However, in the East, Mizumi Ichitani was circling the palace for roughly the fiftieth time as she struggled to clear her head. Her wedding was in three hours, and despite her maids' vehement protests, she refused to go inside. It was during her fifty-first circle around the complex, that she finally became aware of a foreign presence in her path.

"Who goes there?" She hissed warningly in the dark.

Something dark landed in front of her with a soft thud. Mizumi watched as the figure raised its head and came face to face with a Torayoukai not much older than herself with dark green hair and magenta eyes. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" She asked coldly. "You'd better have answers, or else I'll send for the guards."

The Torayoukai took a step towards her, Mizumi instinctively backed away. At her actions, the Torayoukai sighed. "I mean you no harm," He began. His words earned a scoff from Mizumi. "My name is Zetsuei. I am, as I'm sure you've suspected, a Torayoukai. My lord, the Tora no Taisho, sent me to observe your father. My lord felt that he was hiding something," He continued.

"Oh? And what exactly did you find out?" The Nekoyoukai girl asked curiously.

"Your father wishes to obliterate my lord's army to pursue his own goals and will remove anyone or anything in his path."

Mizumi smirked. "Well, you've certainly learned much about him in the short span of time that I assume you've been here," she said. "So, what do you want? I assume you have some sort of business to be handled if you've approached me in the middle of the night like this."

Zetsuei nodded. "In fact, I do have business," He began.

"What sort of business?" The Nekoyoukai girl inquired.

"I have seen the kind of horrible man your father is, and judging from what I've observed of your fiancé, he is also just as unkind,"

Mizumi snorted in response, rolling her eyes. She already knew this, so it was hardly a revelation to her.

"You see, all my life, I have wanted to do something good, and now I've gotten the chance. And I'm taking it."

"Just what exactly are you trying to say, Zetsuei? What's your reason for approaching me? What do you want with me?"

Zetsuei sighed slightly, staring at the ground for a few moments in thought, before raising his head to look the Nekoyoukai girl straight in the eyes.

"I'm offering you a chance to escape. I will take you out of your cage and set you free."

Mizumi's jaw dropped slightly. "W-what?" she stuttered.

"Do you want to be free, Mizumi?"

* * *

**A/N:** Yay I finally reached the end of the chapter! Kudos to me for another job well-done! XD This chapter is much more interesting, and sadly it focuses more on the East's side, but I feel we've had quite enough of the West's plans for now XD It's not a full story until we know both sides, right? Anyways, it's done, and I'm content with it. So I don't have much else to say at the moment, so…ja ne until next time! 


	11. Miyako Odori

**A/N:** Hey we're back with chapter eleven! Woo! Disclaimer will be read by uh…Zetsuei!

Zetsuei: Aki-sama doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, the characters Mizumi Ichitani and Zetsuei, aka me, and anything else that doesn't belong to her. She owns her stories, her characters, and her plot. Now without further disruption, here's chapter eleven.

* * *

  
Chapter Eleven: Miyako Odori

The lands of the West were now empty and silent. Miles away on the road, the thunderous sound of thousands of footsteps rang out, as soldiers marched out for their new temporary residence in the geisha districts.

Kagome sighed slightly. "I never realized Kyoto was so far on foot." She stated listlessly.

Inuyasha turned to her and grinned. "The Kagome I knew wouldn't be winded after a fifteen mile hike like this." He said teasingly.

The miko rolled her eyes. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Feh!"

Seconds later, Inuyasha gave a cough that sounded remarkably like "lazy". At this, Mei Lhi and Kyo shared a few laughs. Kagome, however, seemed quite irritated at the hanyou's behavior. "Inuyasha, you know that if you keep acting this way, I'll make sure you don't get anything for the rest of this week." The miko threatened.

Inuyasha froze, an eyebrow twitching, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and horror. It took him a few moments to regain his composure, brushing it all off with his trademark "Keh." After that, no more words were said, as the armies continued to march on in silence.

-

Mizumi was stunned. Someone she had just barely met was now offering her an escape route from her own wedding. Zetsuei waited patiently for her answer, standing silently, listening for any suspicious sounds around them.

She didn't know how long she had stood there; it felt like an hour at least. She noticed that the sky was starting to lighten, yet Zetsuei still stood before her, waiting. At last the Nekoyoukai girl found her voice and began to speak.

"Yes, I do want to be free." She said softly.

The girl lapsed into deep thought once more, only to be drawn out of her reverie by the shrill voices of her maids.

"Mizumi-sama! Where are you?" Kyoriko's voice sounded.

"You're getting married in less than two hours!" Miseru's voice added, her tone urgent and worried.

"Mizumi-sama! Please! Where are you?" Ikarisu's voice demanded, sounding desperate and on the verge of tears. "Your father and your intended are both waiting for you in the grand chamber, waiting for the ceremony to start! Please, we can't keep them waiting!"

Zetsuei shot Mizumi a warning glance, informing the girl that her maids were coming closer to where she was. The Nekoyoukai girl motioned for the Torayoukai to follow her, the pair of them leaping onto the roof of the palace, staying as flat against the tiles as possible, to avoid being spotted by the guards. From their new position, Mizumi could see her three maids gathered in the spot that she and Zetsuei had been moments before. When they disappeared back inside the palace, Mizumi began to move, blatantly ignoring that her silk wedding kimono had just caught itself onto a tile and ripped.

"Firstly, we're going to have to escape my maids if we want to get out of here. They'd rather kill themselves than lose me. Second, we'll have to make it over the wall, past the guards. But we can't go into the village. I'll be recognized instantly. So we'll have to take the rear gate that faces the forest. But unluckily for us, that's the most heavily guarded spot on the wall. Third, we'll need to be gone before my intended decides to come out and look for me himself. Otherwise, we'll be captured before we can blink. He's a Ryuuyoukai of the Spirits, and I shudder to think of what he would do if we were caught escaping together. So anyways, we can't stay here on the roof, we're bound to be spotted. We have to move now." Mizumi explained quickly in a hushed whisper.

Zetsuei simply nodded in understanding. "Does the guard on the rear wall change shifts?" he asked.

"Hai, once every six hours. The next guard change should be in about an hour and a half." Mizumi answered.

"That's when we make our move. We can't let anyone see us. So for now, let's hide out somewhere."

Mizumi nodded, motioning the Torayoukai to a small niche in the wall of the third floor that was just large enough to accommodate the two of them. The alcove conveniently provided Mizumi and Zetsuei a clear view of everything outside, including the rear gate, while shielding them from the view of others.

And so, they waited.

-

Then all of a sudden, it was time. Time seemed to have passed quicker than the pair hidden in a niche could have fathomed. Guards exited the palace and began to approach the wall. The ones on the wall faced the ones arriving and saluted. The guards called to each other for the traditional change of the guard ceremony, announcing the hour as they went.

"We need to move now," Mizumi hissed urgently.

Zetsuei nodded, his magenta eyes scanning the area for anyone that could see them.

The guards on the wall began to descend the stairs and approach the waiting guard on the ground. Mizumi and Zetsuei sprung up from their hiding places, waiting until the guards on the wall reached the final stair before sprinting and taking a long leap across the courtyard to the wall, dropping down to the ground on the side of the wall facing the woods. The pair quickly took to the trees, leaping and running about as quick as they could just as the new guard took their places on the wall.

It was then that realization hit Mizumi. She was free, free from everything, from honor, duty, and all those other things. Mizumi made herself a promise that day. No matter what happened in the days following her departure, she would never go back. She refused to go back to a life of submission and holding your tongue, a life where she had to pretend she was ignorant to issues plaguing others that the members of the royal court conveniently decided not to address, a life where her opinion didn't matter to anyone, where her words fell on deaf ears. No, she would never go back. She was free now and she was going to stay free from that day forward.

-

The army trudged on, utterly exhausted from the journey. The day had come to a close, night had fallen, but the night was short-lived. The day came again, only to succumb to the darkness of night once more. The days were the same. March, rest, march, rest…

By the fifth night, the troops were getting restless. It was in this long march that all those with youkai blood truly realized how slow humans were. For once they were more of a hindrance than an aid. Several times it had crossed Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru's minds to split the troops altogether. They would go ahead and wait for Nobunaga and his men.

However, the chances the Nobunaga's army would be attacked were high. Sesshoumaru knew that the Nekoyoukai soldiers would undoubtedly find a most welcoming opportunity to sabotage the ningen troops in the taiyoukai's absence. Thus, the taiyoukai, his men, and the others were forced to stay. It would be most unfavorable to lose Nobunaga and his army before the true battle was to be fought.

On this fifth night, the armies were more restless and weary than ever. It seemed that the journey would never end. But despite the increased restlessness, hope had come at last. It had taken four days and five nights, but at last, the troops heard the words that they had been dying to hear.

"Not much further now!" Nobunaga announced, much to the relief of the soldiers.

Spirits suddenly rose, as the soldiers were eager to reach their destination. Anxiety was high, and the very impatient troops actually increased the pace of their march, hoping for a well-earned nights rest in a warm bed with a hot meal.

"Exactly how much further is it, Nobunaga-san?" Tsurugi asked anxiously, his own impatience getting the better of him.

"It's just over the crest of that hill, Tsurugi-sama." Nobunaga answered with a small grin. "We'll be there before you know it."

The Taisho heir nodded, and looked to the horizon. Sure enough, as they marched onward, the boy could see smoke rising. As he progressed forward, dozens of rooftops appeared, the smoke he had seen came from outdoor cooking fires that dotted the land like little winking beacons of light. Beyond that were hundreds of much more elaborate rooftops and buildings that stood taller than the ones in the small village on the outskirts of the city.

"Shall we take advantage of our accommodations tonight, Sesshoumaru-sama?" The daimyo inquired.

Sesshoumaru turned to Nobunaga and nodded. "Hai, this Sesshoumaru feels the armies could do well with a proper night's rest and lodgings. They've earned it." The taiyoukai replied.

Nobunaga grinned and called over his shoulder to the troops. "Move in, men! We're getting warm beds and hot meals tonight!" He yelled.

-

Miyoharu was rehearsing her dance while Haruka critiqued her, which would take place in two days time. As she concluded her performance, she noticed a line of soldiers on the hill out the window.

"Onee-san, look! Are those the soldiers protecting us, or coming to kill us?" The young maiko asked.

Haruka glanced out the window impassively. "They're our allies. The enemy troops won't be getting here for about another month." She answered.

Miyoharu nodded in understanding, unable to speak.

"You're worried about them finding out, aren't you?" Haruka asked suddenly.

The girl soon found her voice once more and replied, "Hai. I am. I'm afraid that if they realize what I've done, then they won't forgive me."

"That shouldn't matter. They've believed you were dead. If they were to find you alive, I'd imagine they would be more overjoyed to see you're still walking this earth than lying in a forest somewhere buried under years of dirt and decay."

"What about you and Toji-san? Can you say the same thing for him?"

Haruka's eyes suddenly filled with sadness and pain at the mention of her beloved's name. Slowly, she shook her head. "No, I don't believe he will forgive me for what I've done to him," She said regretfully. "I've felt his pain and anger all these years. So no, he will not forgive me. He will hate me. And I don't want that."

"But it's just like you told me! It shouldn't matter! He's been looking for you ever since you disappeared. He won't believe you're dead. And I don't think you know what kind of person he's become because of that!" Miyoharu exclaimed irritably.

"Then what of your mother and father? What of Rin and Tsurugi? Do you know what kind of people they have become since _you_ disappeared? Tsuki-chan! Don't you see? It's not that simple! My relationship with Toji is something you wouldn't understand," Haruka replied. "You're far too young to understand. It's one of the things you will learn once you've grown." She continued, reaching out a hand to place comfortingly on the girl's shoulder.

"I'm well aware of your relationship. I was there! _I_ made it happen, and don't forget that! I understand it completely! I'm grown up too, you know? So stop treating me like a child!" Miyoharu retorted bitterly, slapping away the geisha's hand.

Haruka flinched at the girl's actions, recoiling her hand as if it had been burned. She sighed and stared at the floor for several moments in silence. "We won't speak of this again. We both have our own reasons as to why we act the way we do in regards to the ones we love. But for now we must focus on the spring dances. Our performances are the major highlights of this year's festivities." She said in an oddly level voice, raising her head to look at the girl in the eyes before quickly leaving the room.

Miyoharu nodded numbly, suddenly becoming more and more aware of the painful wrenching feeling of regret that lashed out within her, somewhere in the pit of her stomach. She turned to the window again and saw the troops moving forward, half of them were already in the small village and the rest were still making their way down the hill. She sighed, and turned away.

-

The villagers watched the army approach in horror. Without a second thought the men and boys grabbed their farming equipment, anything that could be used as a weapon, and blocked the army's path.

"Who are you?" A brave villager demanded as the soldiers came to a halt in front of the blockade of armed villagers.

"We mean you no harm," Hana said in a calm, clear voice.

"Why are you here?"

"We're going to be temporary residents here. There's an attack that will happen soon and a battle to be fought. We're here to ensure your safety and the safety of those in the hanamachi."

The villager glared suspiciously at the soldiers, at last spotting Inuyasha and Mei Lhi, taking notice of their ears.

"Aha! Liar! You're bringing youkai into our city to murder us in our sleep!" He roared accusingly, pointing at the two hanyou siblings.

"We're here to protect you, why would we kill you?" Mei Lhi exclaimed, sounding offended.

The villagers began shouting various expressions of disbelief and mistrust in response.

"Enough!" came a strong voice.

The villagers fell silent and turned to see a beautiful woman in an elaborate kimono making a brisk, yet elegant stride forward. The woman stepped into the light and everyone was able to see she was a geisha and from the looks of it, the geisha in charge. The geisha bravely strode past the angry villagers and approached Sesshoumaru and Nobunaga, going into a deep bow.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, Nobunaga-sama, I apologize. The residents of the village have always had a bit of a vendetta against youkai and foreigners. Please, make yourselves at home. Various okiya have been assigned to accommodate a certain number of guests, so if you will all please follow me, I will escort all of you to your proper places." She explained in a level voice.

"Mameha-san! You can't do this!" The villagers protested.

"They won't bother you. They won't even be staying in your village. You have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do within the gates of the hanamachi!" Mameha snapped, her voice suddenly cold. The villagers fell silent and promptly left back to their huts. "Now if you'll please follow after me,"

Mameha strode back towards the gates of the hanamachi, the army following after her.

-

The lights of the hanamachi flared into life as the residents became aware of their new visitors. Several geisha and maiko opened their doors and windows to sneak peeks of the soldiers. All down the earthen streets women and girls poked their heads out of windows and doors in hopes of getting even the slightest glimpse of the soldiers and the brave and noble Nobunaga and Sesshoumaru of the West whom they'd all heard stories about. It was a rare sight that would most likely never be seen again. To see so many men entering the hanamachi at once was quite a change for the girls and women of the okiya, as was the immense honor of being allowed to accommodate two of the greatest lords of Japan.

Mameha approached, leading the soldiers in. Every couple of steps, she would stop to knock on a door, speak with the residents, and a group of soldiers would break formation and enter the okiya door that the head geisha had just knocked upon. This process continued until the only ones left without being assigned to an okiya were Nobunaga, Nobunaga's generals, Sesshoumaru, Hana, Inuyasha, Kagome, Mei Lhi, Kyo, and Tsurugi.

"The rest of you will stay in our largest okiya. Nobunaga-sama, you and your men will stay with the Sakaguchi okiya," Mameha explained as she walked toward a large building, knocking on the door. The door opened a few moments later, revealing a small middle-aged woman.

"Konban wa, Mameha-san." The woman greeted.

"Konban wa, Sakaguchi-san," Mameha replied. "I assume you know why I'm here?"

Sakaguchi-san nodded. "Hai, of course Mameha-san. Which of our guests will my okiya have the honor of accommodating?" she asked.

"Nobunaga-sama and his generals will be staying with you. Sakaguchi-san is a lovely woman. She'll treat you with utmost care."

Nobunaga nodded and motioned to his generals to follow him as Sakaguchi-san stood aside to allow the men entry inside. When the door had closed, Mameha turned to the others.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you and your family will stay in my okiya. I will be most honored to have you as a guest." She said, bowing before him politely.

The taiyoukai merely nodded, and Mameha righted herself and led the way to an even larger okiya than the Sakaguchi house. Here, instead of knocking on the door, she opened it and gestured everyone inside. The door was closed by a maid and Mameha disappeared into the back of the building. The maids politely led the guests to a large sitting room with a low table and promptly served them tea. After a few minutes, Mameha returned, ushering several girls into the room.

"As you will all be staying here, it's only fitting that you meet everyone," Mameha began gesturing to the girls she brought in with her.

The head geisha had the girls form a line and proceeded to introduce each of them. She stopped at the first girl, she, along with one other, appeared to be the oldest in the line. "This is Haruka, she is my successor and a full geisha," Mameha said. Haruka inclined her head politely. Mameha stopped at the second girl who was the oldest looking one in the group. "This is Hatsumomo; she's also a full geisha." Hatsumomo also inclined her head and went into a small curtsy.

Mameha pulled the two remaining girls, the youngest looking ones. "These are my maiko," she turned to the first one. "This here is Hatsumiyo, she is studying under Hatsumomo," Hatsumiyo bowed politely. Then Mameha approached the last girl, who looked more nervous than any of the others. "This is Miyoharu; she is studying under my successor, Haruka. She's also appearing in the Miyako Odori with the lead maiko role. She was most fortunate to receive such an honor." Miyoharu went into a full bow and shakily righted herself a few moments later.

"Alright, all of you out! Hatsumiyo, you need to practice your group ensemble. Miyoharu, you need to work on your solo! Until your Onee-san says you're perfect, you're not allowed to stop!" The geisha head ordered, her voice suddenly taking on a firm strictness that none present had ever known.

Within seconds the geisha and maiko left the room.

-

Miyoharu was shaking, her heart was pounding. She had never been more nervous in her life. Her entire family was here. Yet by some form of miracle, they had not recognized her. But it would only be a matter of time before that secret came out into the open. It wasn't long before she became lost in her own worries and fears. She heard Haruka sigh nearby and became aware of her onee-san's approaching footsteps. The sound promptly drew the young maiko out of her frenzied daydreams.

"Calm down, nothing's happened yet. There's no reason to be so nervous, Miyo-chan." She said comfortingly.

"But-but…my entire family is here. How can I _not_ be nervous?" The girl replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"I'll look after you. Until you're ready to let them know the truth, I will protect you. I'll do whatever I can to make sure your family won't find out. I promise."

"Then the same can be said for you, Onee-san."

Haruka smiled slightly. "Hai, of course. No more fights, ne?" she said.

"Hai, no more fights." Miyoharu agreed.

-

The next day was a blur. The entire hanamachi was in uproar. Not only were the kimono shipments finally coming in, the general public who attended the annual spring dances had arrived as well, which meant that Gion was more packed than usual. Within the okiya, however, cooks were harried to prepare much more food than they normally would, and all geisha and maiko to be featured in the dances the next day were no where in sight, all of them were in the Kaburenjo theatre doing dress rehearsals of their dances. Amid this chaos, the residents carried on as normal as possible.

The day continued much as it had begun: chaotic, harried, rushed, and disordered. Until at last, the day had ended and all those things just disappeared.

-

In the east however, things were far from peaceful.

"What do you mean 'she's gone'?" Masashi roared angrily.

"We're sorry, Masashi-sama. It seems that Mizumi-sama has just disappeared without a trace." The head of the guard said apologetically.

"Before she was going to get married, she just up and leaves! This is the greatest insult she could have ever paid me in this life! How DARE she! Kuso! I _knew_ she was going to do something stupid!" The Neko no Taisho ranted on heatedly before the words of the head of the guard finally sunk in. "YOU! I specifically ordered you and the guard to make sure she didn't leave! And you can't even follow simple orders? Do you have any IDEA what this means for me? My reputation, my status, _everything_ is in jeopardy because YOU and YOUR FOOLS let my excuse of a daughter escape! And you call yourselves SOLDIERS?"

"We deeply regret our lack of attentiveness on the matter, sir. We humbly apologize. A search party is scouring the east for any sight of her highness."

"An apology does me nothing! If she was able to escape under your nose, how do you expect to find her? Your excuses are nothing more than ridiculous lies to hide your obvious insubordination! My allies will desert me! That infernal line of hounds will overtake me! That bitch will betray me! And it's all because of YOU! It's by your actions that will cause this empire to fall!"

"Please, Masashi-sama, give me one more chance to redeem myself! I beg of you!"

Masashi growled viciously. "You've used up all your chances. There is no redemption left for you!"

The head of the guard cowered in fear, whimpering pleas, apologies, and promises to do better next time.

"There will be no next time. No, not for you." The Neko no Taisho said harshly, raising his claws.

There was a deafening howl of pain and the walls of the room were spattered with blood.

-

It was mid-afternoon; Miyoharu, Haruka, Hatsumiyo, and dozens of other geisha and maiko had left for the theatre hours before, hoping to squeeze in last-minute rehearsals before the big performance to take place later in the evening.

Miyoharu was hard at work, the dance teacher and Haruka were critiquing her dance, clapping out the rhythms, making sure that the maiko hit all her marks on time. This went on for several more minutes until at last Miyoharu concluded her performance. The girl looked to her onee-san and the dance teacher and saw their beaming faces.

"You'll do well tonight," Yume, the dance teacher, said with a smile.

"Hai, I agree," Haruka chimed in. "Tonight you will be the most renowned dancer in all of the hanamachi!"

Miyoharu bowed politely in response. "If not for your instruction, I don't think I could have ever arrived at this point. Arigatou gozaimasu." She said, still bowing.

"Now, now, enough of that, Miyo-chan! There's no time to waste now. Your captive audience will be arriving soon, so we'd best get you ready." Haruka replied, ushering the girl off toward Morimoto-san, the official kimono dresser.

Yet the maiko hesitated and resisted being led away. "But onee-san, what if…what if I dance badly? Or if I disgrace myself or worse, I disgrace you?" she asked worriedly.

Haruka sighed. "For Kami's sake, Miyo-chan! I've taught you well enough to know how to _not_ make a fool of yourself. I highly doubt you'll manage to disgrace yourself or me tonight. Now you've got no time to waste worrying. That kimono of yours will take forever to get on properly. Go on, let Morimoto-san get to work." The geisha replied.

Miyoharu sighed and complied albeit reluctantly and started doing her makeup while Morimoto-san hunted down the kimono she would wear for her dance.

'_Looks like it's going to be a long night…_' she thought with another sigh.

-

At last night fell; the time for the spring dances to begin had arrived. Everyone had dressed in their best kimono for the event and slowly made their way towards the Kaburenjo theatre. Little paper lamps dotted the roads, illuminating the correct path.

Sesshoumaru, Hana, Tsurugi, Kagome, Inuyasha, Mei Lhi, and Kyo stepped over the final footbridge on the path, pausing to stare at the theatre. It looked like a royal palace on a somewhat smaller scale. The wood was beautifully carved and lacquered, in some places it was painted gold. Red lanterns were hung from the roof beams, illuminating a vast, polished wood walkway that went around the entire building. The doors were made of thick and heavily polished and painted wood, with an image depicting snow white swans in a lake filled with gold-painted water lilies and jade and amber colored cattails.

"Are you gonna stand there all day staring at the place or are we actually gonna go inside?" Inuyasha's voice interrupted rudely, sounding quite irritated.

His voice seemed to have jarred everyone from their daydream-like states. At last they moved forward and stepped inside, taking their seats.

From inside, a large stage stood at the back wall of the room and could be seen from anywhere in the theatre. There was a second stage on the next wall that came outward like a runway. But for now the curtain remained closed over the stage door and the little lanterns around the edges of it remained unlit.

The lights on the first stage flared into life and a woman was visible on the stage. "Konban wa minna-san," she greeted. "I am Rikuro Yume, the dance teacher here. It is my great pleasure to have all of you here this evening. So please, enjoy." The woman then clapped her hands together briskly and walked off the stage.

The curtain was drawn and revealed a group of eleven maiko doing a group fan dance. Five of the maiko had ornate folding fans while the other six held multiple painted fan-shaped wood wedges connected with thin bamboo rods that were at least three to four feet long. The girls holding the folding fans would toss and dance with them, the other six girls would twirl their large bamboo and wood ones in time to the music. After a while the dance concluded and a few more group dances went on, one of which included Hatsumiyo.

Then the lights on the stage on the back wall dimmed and the lights on the second stage blazed into life. The curtain stage door slowly began to open.

"Ah, here's my Haruka," Mameha's voice whispered nearby.

Haruka appeared in the doorway, wearing a bright white kimono and red yukata and holding a red parasol. As she stepped forward along the stage, white flower petals rained down upon her, looking much like falling snow. Haruka raised her free hand to catch a few of the petals and continued to step forward. She dropped the parasol and stepped out of her slippers going up and down the length of the stage, seeming to float the entire time. The petals came down heavier and Haruka's form was almost lost in them. She started spinning until she gradually lowered herself to her knees and leaned over onto her side and shut her eyes, miming sleep in the snow-like flower petals.

The lights dimmed and Haruka was on her feet. The audience broke into applause; Mameha was one of the few applauding the most enthusiastically. By this point all the others had danced except for Miyoharu. She was to be the evening's featured performance. The clapping subsided, the stage was cleared of the flower petals and was empty once more, all the lanterns brightly lit.

Out of the corner of their eyes, Sesshoumaru, Hana, and the others could see Mameha now looked very anxious. Then the music started and the curtain opened, Mameha held her breath and silently wished the next performer good luck.

Miyoharu emerged, dressed in the most extravagant kimono of jade and gold silk, patterned with silver willow leaves. It was the most beautiful kimono any of the guests had ever seen. The maiko pulled a pair of fans from her obi, opening both simultaneously with a quick flick of her wrists. She faced an imaginary person, shifting into a battle-ready stance.

Her face was set and determined. She took a deep calming breath and began to dance. Moving from her battle-ready position, she slowly extended her arms outward, the pair of fans unfolded to their fullest extent, depicting intricately painted images of fire, water, and earth.

Miyoharu began with slow and melodic arced sweeps of the fans, gradually moving faster and faster, the sweeps becoming steadily more vicious in nature. She was spinning and slicing at the air before her, all the while keeping an expression of pleading and longing upon her face. Nearing the finale, she performed a difficult fan toss, gracefully throwing the fan in her left hand into her right as she still continued to spin. With both fans in her right hand, she twirled the pair of them in such a manner that the two fans suddenly seemed to mold and become one. She made a final double-fan sweep in the exact moment that she stopped her spin just before she lowered her arms heavily, appearing weary. She collapsed to the stage, in a dead sleep.

The sound of a gentle breeze filled the theatre and Miyoharu's eyes opened and she raised her head. Suddenly, as if the breeze had renewed her strength, she climbed to her feet, taking one of the fans in her right hand back into her left. She stood, closing her eyes once more, arms outstretched, palms up with the fans' wide side down. She took another breath and crossed her arms over her chest in the shape of an 'x' so that her right hand rested on her left shoulder and vice versa, the fans still clutched in her grip. Then without warning, she flung her arms out and tossed both fans into the air. For a moment the pair of fans stayed frozen in time as they hovered several feet above the ground before they slowly began to float back down. Miyoharu stepped forward with her left foot, swinging her right around, using the momentum to propel her into a moving, yet slow spin, then proceeded to catch both her fans one after the other as each reached her eye level.

The music stopped and Miyoharu took a bow, folding her fans in the process. The audience was on its feet, cheering madly. Mameha was beaming; her applause was quick and excited. Haruka smiled, also applauding. Hatsumiyo screamed with joy as she applauded and began to cry with happiness. Even Hatsumomo couldn't help but join in the excitement, albeit reluctantly.

-

Miles and miles away, far in the North in the mountains, the home of the Ryuuyoukai, something was stirring.

In the chamber where Wind resided along with the body of Kaze-hime, something unexpected happened.

Kaze-hime remained still upon her gossamer-covered pallet, in an eternal, yet peaceful sleep as always. Yet something was different this time. It was as if her lifeless form could sense the emotions and the story being woven thousands of miles away in the form of a dance; emotions and a story that she had once felt and lived through hundreds of years ago. Little did Kaze-hime know, but one day, her story and her feelings would become a legend told for generations to come. A legend that now thrived and flourished in these days hundreds of years into the future.

The feelings and memories of that day when she had snared Wind at last began to fill her hollow form. The dance being performed all those miles away portrayed Kaze-hime's thoughts and feelings exactly. How she had fought, how she had struggled, how she had strived. The feelings, all those emotions, they were far too much to endure, with her own sorrows within and the sorrows of the one who danced her tale combined, Kaze-hime felt as if her still heart would explode.

Then, just as unexpected as it was for someone dead to feel, Kaze-hime's finger twitched.

* * *

**  
A/N:** Hey guys! Sorry for the mass delay. Well guys, my mom's had a fit and she got really mad at me for my anime-related fanfics or else she'll take away my computer. So she's forcing me to stop writing them. But will I listen? Well, let's just say I'll do anything in my power to continue writing my fics to the end. So here's the thing. Future updates will be less frequent so I can avoid attracting my mom's attention to me still writing chapters. I refuse to let any story of mine go unfinished. So I promise you all here and now, I _**will**_ finish writing my stories no matter what. 


	12. The Flight of the Tiger Woman

**A/N:** So here we are once again. We all know why it's delayed, that plus the new Harry Potter book came out, so I had to read it ASAP. Also, I'm moving, so that's always "fun". But enough of that, to do our disclaimer is um…Sesshoumaru!

Sesshy: Aki-sama does not own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or anything else she may have referenced in the past. She owns her story, her plot, and her characters. Now this Sesshoumaru shall not cause any further hindrances for the readers. Chapter 12 awaits you…

* * *

Chapter Twelve: The Flight of the Tiger Woman

In the days following the spring dances, Miyoharu soon found herself swamped with admirers. Everywhere the young maiko went people were congratulating her left and right on her stunning performance at the dances. Because of all the praise for Miyoharu going around, Hatsumomo was livid and much more vindictive than usual. She lashed out and cursed everyone, even going as far as beating the maids and Hatsumiyo with a bamboo rod for no reason whatsoever.

Finally after a week straight, Mameha had had enough.

"Hatsumomo, your behavior has reached an all-time low. I understand you're upset that Hatsumiyo did not receive the lead role, but your animosity towards both her and the maids of this okiya will not be tolerated! Your actions and your attitude have become much more unbearable over the past several years. The only time your mood lightened was when Haruka had decided to temporarily retire and live with her danna. It appears you can't bear with competition. I've had enough of you. I find it amazing at how well everyone else has been able to stand you, putting up with your tempers and all those other things," The head geisha began.

"What are you saying Mameha-san?" Hatsumomo demanded viciously.

"I've decided to relieve us all of you. You are no longer welcome here. Please, pack up your things and never set foot in Gion ever again."

At these words, Hatsumomo was beyond furious. "HOW DARE YOU!" She screamed. "I've paid for _everything_ these past years! And now you're just going to throw me out onto the street? This is the payment I'm to receive after all my years of service?"

"Service? Ha! Hardly. You've only ever worked when you felt like it, only when it would benefit you. I've told you before; your contributions to the okiya's expenses are minimal. My danna is more than capable of being able to cover the majority of them. The rest is paid by either me or Haruka. I've every right to throw you out onto the street. You no longer act like a geisha. Seeing men in the night like a common prostitute! You've brought dishonor upon this okiya and so shamed yourself. On top of that, your temper has raged beyond control while we have most important guests staying with us! You have no idea of the damage you have done! You've destroyed yourself, this okiya's honor, and very well the reputation of the hanamachi itself! Leave at once before you bring any more shame to us!" Mameha snapped, her voice rising with every syllable.

Hatsumomo's face fell and she appeared defeated. "Dearest Mameha-san, please, reconsider this. I have no place other than here to go. I've devoted my life to dance. Don't toss me out like this!" She pleaded.

"You should have thought of the consequences of your actions long ago! I've no room in my heart for forgiveness. You've used up all your chances of redemption. Enough is enough. Pack your things and go. Hatsumiyo will be assigned a new onee-san, so you needn't worry about her, if it were in your heart to care about someone other than yourself. Now go!" The older geisha said coldly.

Hatsumomo glared daggers at Mameha for a few moments before promptly turning her heel and storming upstairs. The elder geisha sighed and turned away, facing her guests where they all sat sipping tea. Sesshoumaru appeared to be pretending that nothing had happened at all. Hana was also trying to imitate her mate's act, but failed as her hand shook slightly as she raised her cup to her lips. Kagome was staring at the spot where Hatsumomo had just been, looking horrified. Mei Lhi was also starting at the place Hatsumomo had just vacated, bearing a worried expression. Inuyasha had furrowed his brow slightly and it seemed he was frowning. Kyo, on the other hand, had a conflicted expression. He seemed surprised, confused, and irritated all at once.

Mameha sighed and addressed her guests. "I'm sorry that you had to witness that. I had not intended for such a display before you all," she said, bowing low for a few moments then righting herself to her upright position.

"It is not our business to concern ourselves with your affairs," Sesshoumaru replied in a level tone. "You did only what was necessary to ensure the prosperity of this place. I would do the same were I in a similar position."

"Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama." The head geisha responded, once again bowing low.

From upstairs came the sound of items breaking and a lot of screaming. Mameha looked up and prepared to rush up the stairs only to find it unnecessary as someone came rolling down the stairs.

"Hatsumomo! What are you doing?" Haruka screamed from upstairs.

"Leave Hatsumiyo ALONE!" Miyoharu shrieked.

"Shut up! Or you're next!" Hatsumomo yelled bitterly.

It became obvious who it was that had rolled down the stairs. Mameha's face had drained of all color and she carefully approached Hatsumiyo, who lay motionless at the foot of the stairs.

"Hatsumiyo! Hatsumiyo, open your eyes!" The head geisha cried, lightly shaking the girl.

The maiko stirred and at once her eyes blurred with tears. "Please! You have to stop her! She said she was going to burn the okiya to the ground!" The girl sobbed.

"She could be seriously hurt, Hatsumomo! Don't you even care?" Miyoharu shouted.

"Well according to Mameha, she isn't _my_ responsibility any longer! I could care less!" Hatsumomo snarled, her voice full of contempt.

"So you're going to further disgrace yourself instead?"

The sound of a body hitting the first landing on the stairs reached everyone's ears. Mameha gently set Hatsumiyo down onto the floor away from the stairwell and rushed toward the sound. The others had abandoned their tea and followed.

Miyoharu lay sprawled across the floor, struggling to her feet as Hatsumomo began to approach.

"How DARE you insult me!" The older geisha shrieked. "You'll pay for that!"

Then she was suddenly knocked over. Haruka had flung her entire body weight onto the geisha and had pulled out a small knife from her obi, holding it to Hatsumomo's neck. Hatsumomo and Haruka both struggled on the floor, Hatsumomo grabbing Haruka's wrist, trying to wrench the knife from the other's grasp.

"Drop it, Haruka! Don't think for a second that just because you're Mameha's favorite I won't hurt you!" She spat.

"No! I can't allow this! If you're to leave, then leave with what little honor you have left! Don't destroy it through rash actions such as these!" Haruka ground out as Hatsumomo's nails dug into her wrist.

Hatsumomo's free hand found its way to Haruka's stomach and drew back and punched forward. Haruka gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. Her grip on the knife loosened, Hatsumomo seized the opportunity and pried it from her rival's hand and stood. Haruka regained her footing and tried to approach the other geisha only to have her lash out with the dagger and be slashed across the chest and arms. Haruka staggered and fell. Mameha screamed in horror. Hatsumomo smirked and grabbed a nearby lantern and threw it at the wooden floor.

The flames ignited instantly, the entire second floor hallway was an inferno. Maids were screaming and rushing about grabbing water and blankets to smother the flames. Below, Hatsumiyo was crying and sobbing loudly. Miyoharu had finally made it back to her feet and rushed up the stairs to find Haruka surrounded by flames.

"Onee-san!" She screamed, rushing toward her.

The blood that had pooled around her was starting to light with flames and soon her body would be consumed. Without a second thought or a moment's hesitation, Miyoharu lifted up her Onee-san's limp form and attempted to carry her away from the fire.

Finally it seemed that Sesshoumaru had decided now would be a good time to intervene and the others had unfrozen from their shock. Inuyasha had rushed into the flames and helped Miyoharu take Haruka to safety, not being burned at all due to his fire rat fur haori and hakama. Kyo reached out a hand and wind suddenly filled the hallway, the flames began to move towards one another into the center of the hall and then encased in a swirling orb of wind. The fire swirled around in the orb until it died out. Sesshoumaru approached Hatsumomo with a cold glare that made the geisha go weak in the knees. She scampered down the stairs and did not look back. Kagome, Hana, and Mei Lhi had already proceeded downstairs to treat Haruka, Miyoharu, and Hatsumiyo's wounds.

The taiyoukai walked back down to the first floor and saw Hana sealing Haruka's wounds, Mei Lhi and Kagome were both looking after the two maiko, checking them for any broken bones or internal damage from being tossed down the stairs. After the pair had been deemed to be in good health, despite being a bit bruised, Mei Lhi moved to help Hana and Kagome began to approach Hatsumomo, who sat in the corner of the room, shaking.

"Here, let me look at you," Kagome said gently, reaching out toward the geisha.

"I don't want your help!" Hatsumomo snapped, slapping Kagome's hand away. "I don't need your help."

The geisha got to her feet, glaring at them all. "You will regret this!" She hissed. "I'll make sure of it!"

Without another word she turned on her heel and stormed towards the door and stepped out, slamming it shut.

-

Hatsumomo whipped past the other okiya, ignoring the shocked gasps and whispered words of their residents. Apparently the commotion had roused the others to poke their heads outside and listen to the sounds of screaming and smashing. The now ex-geisha scowled as she shoved her way past others in the streets until finally she made it to the gates of the hanamachi. She looked back and for a moment it seemed she could see Mameha staring out the window hundreds of yards away, staring straight back.

She would get her revenge. As she passed under the gate and entered the village, the perfect plan had already taken shape.

"Hatsumomo-san!" exclaimed the village chief in shock. "What has happened? We heard distant sounds of a commotion, even thought we saw smoke from a fire! Has your okiya burned down? Are you the only survivor? Did those youkai start it?" he asked.

Hatsumomo turned to him, a small and unnoticed smirk playing across her lips. "Yes, it was the youkai. I tried to fight them off, but just barely escaped with my life. They've cast a spell on everyone. Now the entire hanamachi is under their control! Everyone is now a slave to the one called Sesshoumaru. Please, you must stop him! Who knows what will happen to my friends while they're under his command!" She exclaimed in feigned sobs, completing the act with false tears.

"I knew it! I knew they were evil from the moment they arrived! That blasted Mameha!" The chief roared angrily.

"It wasn't Mameha's fault! Sesshoumaru put her under the spell the moment they looked at each other." Hatsumomo wailed as she continued to pretend that she was horribly distressed.

"Hatsumomo-san, we will do whatever we can to protect you and save the hanamachi from these evil youkai. Does Sesshoumaru have a weakness? How can we stop him?"

"Sesshoumaru is far too well guarded to attack him directly. His wife is the same. But his son is the heir to his lands and is less experienced in combat. If you attacked his son and killed him, it would be as good as killing Sesshoumaru himself! Sesshoumaru couldn't live if his son died."

"How can this be done, Hatsumomo-san?"

"An arrow, a purifying arrow to cleanse the demon from the boy would instantly kill him. The holy powers would destroy the boy."

The village chief nodded in understanding. "Come, we must protect you from harm. You can stay with our village monk. His power will protect you from those youkai. I will arrange for a miko to come here and go through with the plans of killing the boy." He said in a soothing voice, leading the ex-geisha away toward a small hut where the village monk lived.

-

Mizumi and Zetsuei had stopped running at last. They had put a good hundred miles between themselves and the Nekoyoukai girl's homeland. The spring night was warm, hinting that summer was soon arriving.

"Where will we go?" Zetsuei asked quietly.

"We have to find the Inuyoukai and warn them, before it's too late." Mizumi replied.

"They are in Kyoto, awaiting the attack from our side."

"Then we've got no time to waste. We have to move quickly. Besides, knowing my father, he's got men looking for me right now. It won't be long before they reach this place."

Zetsuei nodded and stared at the stars. "Kyoto is north of here." He said after a few moments.

"Then let's not waste any more time." The Nekoyoukai girl replied, getting to her feet.

The two of them jumped skyward, reaching for the nearest tree branches and started to run again.

-

"We have to leave, NOW!" Aijii exclaimed.

"What's the matter?" Kago asked.

"Look at this!" The boy said, ushering his friend over to look at the page of the book he was reading.

Kago sighed and walked over. "What?"

"Just read it!"

The Inu-Ryuu boy's eyes skimmed the page. "Aren't those things guns?" He asked, pointing at a word on the page.

"Yes, exactly! They're an early form of a rifle, imported by the Portuguese! Sesshoumaru-oji-san and the others won't know how to defend themselves against bullets! And the enemy will use that against Nobunaga!"

"Then we're leaving for the Sengoku Jidai? Through the well?"

Aijii nodded. "We'll head for the village this time and ask Miroku-san and Sango-san to help us."

The two glanced at one another, not needing to exchange any words. The boys headed in opposite directions and went off to find their sisters. When the four of them reunited, they were packed with their weapons and their history books.

Together they approached the well and stared at one another.

"Ready?"

And then as one, they jumped.

-

Four days had passed since Hatsumomo left the okiya. All around Kyoto everyone was busy. In the hanamachi, maids and workers were helping repair the second floor hallway in the okiya, Haruka had just regained consciousness, and gossip and rumors of the night Hatsumomo left were spreading like wildfire.

However, outside the confines of Gion, the villagers had broken into a loud cheer. The miko had arrived.

"Hatsumomo-san!" The village chief called.

The ex-geisha looked up. "Yes?" she asked.

"The miko-sama has arrived. We can kill the boy today!"

"No, we must wait. An opportunity to strike will present itself to us. The boy will be in the okiya at all times. It would be difficult to get a clear shot."

The village chief nodded in understanding. "You are most cunning, Hatsumomo-san." He said with a sadistic grin.

"Perhaps it would be best you told the miko-sama what we plan on doing? That way she would know her target and be ready to take the shot at a moment's notice."

"Hai, of course. Then we wait."

-

Haruka sat quietly against the wall, staring out the window. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kyo staring at her for a few moments then quickly look away.

'_He suspects something. Naturally he'd know the scent of my blood. Back when I sacrificed myself for Mei Lhi, I stabbed myself. My blood flowed then…it was like falling asleep. I couldn't die, at least, not by my own hand. But in any case, I must be cautious. If Kyo does in fact riddle it out and discover I'm alive, Tsuki-chan could also be in danger of being found out. It's lucky that she only sustained some bruising and didn't receive any flesh wounds. From what she told me, the way she faked her death, Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Inuyasha would know her blood scent in an instant. I must keep up my guard._'

She shut her eyes and found her vision overwhelmed with an image of the future. Tsurugi was hit with a purifying arrow. The boy died and Sesshoumaru and Hana were overcome with grief. The war was lost. The Neko no Taisho killed off the entire Inu clan. The Ryuuyoukai would become involved; Harukichi would try to take over the North. The entire country would be thrown into chaos, dispelling the peace that they all once had. And it would all happen because Tsurugi was dead and Hatsumomo had made sure of it.

Her eyes opened and she noticed that Miyoharu was standing beside her, looking worried.

"Onee-san, what is it?" The girl asked quietly.

"Hatsumomo has betrayed us. She's gone to the village and told them that we are all slaves to Sesshoumaru-sama. In retaliation, they will kill Tsurugi with a purifying arrow. Once that happens, Japan falls into turmoil. The Nekoyoukai win the war and the Inu clan is destroyed." The geisha replied, her voice the ghost of a whisper.

Miyoharu's face froze with shock. "No! Can't something be done to stop it?"

"You know what you must do. I promise you, I'll protect you."

"But your wounds, won't they sap you of your power?"

"They've healed long ago. I'm only putting up this act of being injured because I'm supposed to be human, not a youkai. Speaking of acts, you played your part well."

"I guess I passed the test. Even when I was in danger, no one recognized me at all."

Haruka nodded. "Hai, that is true. But there is still one more test."

"I know. When the time comes, I know I'll pass that test. With you here, I know I cannot fail."

The geisha smiled and nodded again. Miyoharu turned and walked away where she retired to her room. Her fear and anxiety had spiked, like it had when her family first arrived. She did the one thing that she thought would be able to calm her nerves. She prayed.

'_Please, let us all come through this. I couldn't bear the sorrow of having to lose anyone to the hatred of man. Everyone should be allowed to live until it is their rightful time to depart from the world of the living to the land of the dead. Please, just let Tsurugi live. He has to live. If he lives, the West lives._'

-

Sesshoumaru drank deeply from his cup of tea, glancing at everyone's faces across the table. Hana was also sipping her tea, Inuyasha sat leaning against the wall, watching the final rays of sunlight slip under the horizon. His hair darkened, his claws retracted, and his ears became human. A few feet away, Mei Lhi had undergone a similar transformation, looking more like her mother Izayoi than ever. Tsurugi was looking around the room, trying to find something interesting to look at and occupy his attention. So far it seemed after being inside the okiya for such a long time, there was really nothing much to take in. Lastly, Kyo sat next to his mate, also leaning against the wall, his head bowed and eyes closed in thought.

The taiyoukai set down his cup upon the table. The sound of the china setting itself down against the wood seemed to jar everyone out of their thoughts or aimless musings. All eyes had suddenly turned toward Sesshoumaru.

"I've established a chain of command. I, obviously, will be first in command. Hana-chan, you shall be my chief battle physician and you will be commanding the archery units. Inuyasha, my first lieutenant and second in command, Kyoshima, you'll be my second lieutenant. Kagome-san, you'll be assisting Hana-chan. Mei Lhi Imouto-san, you'll be in command of the fifth and sixth swordsman units, and if you're up to it, leading the charge. Tsurugi, you'll be my captain and the seventh and eighth swordsman units are yours to command," The taiyoukai began.

Tsurugi looked stunned. "You're putting me in charge of units?" He asked, still sounding shocked.

"Naturally," Sesshoumaru replied with a smirk. "Are you, or are you not my son?"

The boy nodded slowly in understanding. The taiyoukai continued.

"As my first lieutenant and second in command, Inuyasha, you're charged with the duty of commanding the first and second units. Kyoshima, you're to command the third and fourth units," He said. The two nodded. "When we're on the battlefield, there will be a large number of allies and enemies. In the event that any of us are wounded and unable to reach one of the field doctors, I feel it would be wise for us to carry a small pack of medicinal herbs and poultices. Think of it as your battlefield trauma kit. Also, in the event that we are disarmed or otherwise separated from a weapon, these packs will also contain herbs with properties that would be harmful to our enemies. Hana-chan, I trust you to sort out the herbs that we can put to good use for both ourselves and our adversaries."

"Definitely no belladonna then." Hana said with a small grin.

Sesshoumaru smirked again. "The final matter to be addressed, we're leaving tomorrow." He said with a tone of finality.

"What?" Mei Lhi exclaimed in surprise.

"Nobunaga-san and I both feel that the war is drawing quite near. We're going to set up a base of operations a mile's march from Nagashino Castle. I've delayed our departure for both you and Inuyasha so that the two of you will not be vulnerable, should the fighting extend through several days and nights. It will be another month before we will have to trouble ourselves with your vulnerability. So tonight we will prepare ourselves for travel and thank our hosts for their hospitality and set off in the morning. The armies have already been informed and will start marching at dawn's first light." The taiyoukai explained.

Everyone remained silent for several moments, letting the information sink in. Then without any words being exchanged, all stood and moved in their separate directions, packing their things.

At the doorway, Miyoharu sighed, having listened to the entire conversation. Without waiting for someone to catch her eavesdropping, she briskly walked away and headed for her room.

-

Aijii, Kago, Satsu, and Yuri all climbed out of the well and rushed into the village, ignoring everyone looking around wildly and calling out to them. They barged into the house where Miroku and Sango lived, startling the houshi and taijiya.

"What are all of you doing here? I thought Inuyasha and Kagome-chan took you all back through the well to go to school?" Sango said, looking at the four teens that had nearly broken the door off on their way in.

"They did take us back, but we've come back because of urgent business." Aijii replied.

"Urgent business?" Miroku asked.

"There's a war coming, over by Nagashino Castle. Our parents will be fighting alongside Sesshoumaru oji-san and Nobunaga against the Takeda clan, the Nekoyoukai, Harukichi, and possibly other forces."

"Yes, we've heard that too. We've also heard that the Torayoukai have joined with the Nekoyoukai." The monk said, looking not at all too surprised with this revelation.

"But that's not all!" Aijii went on. "We've done some research and our history book says that the enemy will be using arquebusiers. According to the books and our research, an arquebus is an early form of a rifle," (A/N: Actually, Nobunaga had the guns. I've simply modified the conditions of the battle, seeing as my plans will end up with Nobunaga's side having the advantage anyway, guns or no guns at all.)

"A rifle?" Miroku inquired.

"It's a gun. But the arquebus isn't advanced enough to be using shells and metal bullets. They require gunpowder and pellet balls made of lead." Kago answered.

"Anno…like Ginkotsu of the Shichinintai?" Sango asked.

"Yes, exactly! Only instead of it being much larger guns like the ones Ginkotsu had, these are smaller and are much more easily portable. They're foreign goods from the Portuguese, brought here on the Black Ships." Satsu explained.

"So Sesshoumaru-sama and the others don't know that the enemy will have these sorts of weapons?" The houshi clarified.

"Nope, they haven't got a clue. That's why we've come back to try and warn them. But we need your help to get there. None of us know which way Nagashino Castle is or where our parents are." Aijii responded, the tone of urgency much more prominent in his voice.

Sango suddenly looked over her shoulder. "Minoru, Tsuyu, Kohaku-kun! You're all in charge of the village until we get back. Houshi-sama and I are going on a trip. I don't know when we'll return." She called over her shoulder. (A/N: The kids will be fine. Kohaku's grown up now so he can look after Minoru and Tsuyu, but then again, they're old enough to fend for themselves.)

At her words, Kirara, who had been resting on her master's lap jumped up and went outside and transformed. Aijii turned to his best friend.

"Hey, do you think you can do it now? Because I don't think all six of us are going to fit on Kirara. That's way too much weight." The boy said.

"Transform?" The Inu-Ryuu boy answered.

Aijii nodded.

"I'm not sure. Chichiue does it so easily, but he told me that the key to transforming was to concentrate. I've done it once before. But that may have been a fluke." Kago rambled on.

"You'll be able to do it. I believe in you." Yuri said with a small smile, placing a comforting hand on her brother's shoulder.

His sister's words seemed to give Kago renewed hope. "Right! I'm going to try. The worst that can happen is that it doesn't work." He said, sounding determined.

The Inu-Ryuu boy stepped outside of the house and closed his eyes.

'_I am the wind._'

Wind swirled around his form and soon obscured Kago from view. When the dust had settled and the air was calm once again, a pure white dragon about half the size of his father stood where the Inu-Ryuu boy had been moments before, clawing at the ground, trying to get a feel for his new body.

"Sugoi!" Satsu exclaimed excitedly. "You did it!"

Aijii cheered, Yuri smiled faintly and nodded a "well done" at her brother. Sango and Miroku were stunned.

"I didn't know that it was possible for someone to transform when they're not full youkai." Miroku said in awe.

"Well, Chichiue told me that since I'm more Ryuuyoukai than anything and mostly youkai in general, I'd be able to do it." Kago replied, not knowing that the only person who understood what he said was Yuri, seeing as he was now speaking in the language of the dragons.

"Kago says that our father told him that since he's half Ryuuyoukai and overall almost full youkai, he'd be able to transform." Yuri said to the others.

"Can you read his mind or something, Yuri-chan?" Satsu asked. "Because I didn't hear him say anything."

Kago rolled his eyes. Satsu noticed and scowled. Aijii laughed. Yuri sighed.

"My baka sister, didn't you ever listen when Kyo-oji-san told us about Ryuuyoukai? They've got their own language and only people who know it can hear it. The language is a soft language and doesn't require the use of a voice, so it's below normal hearing." The Inu boy said, turning to his sister.

The two started to fight when Yuri interrupted them. "Kago would like to remind the both of you that we're supposed to be finding our parents." She said in a level voice.

The pair stopped at once. Sango and Miroku climbed onto Kirara's back while Yuri, Aijii, and Satsu climbed onto Kago's. Kirara took to the air at once. Kago, unsure as to how to fly, shakily left the ground and to his amazement found that he floated in midair without any effort at all. It took the Inu-Ryuu boy only a few seconds to figure out how to change direction, but once he had adjusted, he too was in the air next to Kirara and the pair took off for Nagashino Castle.

-

It dawned bright and cheery in the hanamachi. Soldiers were thanking the geisha and maiko for their hospitality and departing. Haruka woke to the sound of clanking as soldiers marched away in full battle armor. When sleep had finally cleared itself from her senses, she became aware of the dream she had had. The day that Tsurugi was intended to die was today. The geisha looked to her side where her apprentice, Miyoharu was fighting to remain asleep. Finally the girl gave up and woke.

"I wish they wouldn't make so much noise." The maiko whined.

"It's today, Miyo-chan. They're going to do it today." Haruka said in a serious voice.

Miyoharu's face paled slightly and she nodded slowly. The two put away their futons into the closet and went to put on their kimono. Miyoharu had just reached for a simple lightweight summer yukata when Haruka stopped her.

"Wear this one," she said, pointing at a thicker early spring kimono. "The obi knot sits slightly higher than normal. It'll look nice on you."

The girl nodded and reached for it instead. The two took turns helping each other fasten the proper ties and making the correct knots as they dressed. When the two were finally ready, they headed downstairs for breakfast where Mameha, Hatsumiyo, along with their guests were sharing a parting meal.

As Miyoharu took her seat, her eyes immediately went to Tsurugi.

'_I'm not going to let you die today. Not like this._'

-

In the village however, things seemed busier than they were in the hanamachi.

"Hatsumomo-san, the armies are leaving today." The village chief said.

"Then today is the day that we make our move." The ex-geisha replied.

The village chief nodded and approached a young woman clad in red and white. "Tomoe-sama," he said politely, addressing the miko. The girl turned. "Today is the day that we require your services," he continued.

"Fugeki-san, do not take me for a fool. I know who it is you wish for me to destroy. I refuse to remove the son of Sesshoumaru-sama from this earth. I only vanquish violent youkai and heal the sick and help the weak. I am not a taijiya, a samurai, nor an assassin of any kind. I cannot do what you ask of me." She replied.

"Then at least bless an arrow for us. You can keep to your vow of helping others and we'll do the dirty work."

"Very well, bring me a bow and arrow."

Fugeki nodded and retrieved the items the miko had requested. Tomoe took them into her hands and began chanting, the bow and arrow glowed brightly. When the chanting stopped, both the bow and arrow were glowing a bright pink.

"The moment these leave my hands, the power will begin to wane. So if you wish to take the shot, you must be quick," Tomoe explained. "Only someone with spiritual powers can keep the bow and arrow at their fullest strength."

Fugeki nodded and took the bow and arrow from the girl. The glow on the two objects had diminished significantly. He had to hurry before the powers imbued were spent. He ran around assembling a small group of men to enter the hanamachi with him.

"Saito!" He yelled. (A/N: O.o Notice how I suddenly have Kenshin chara names popping up…how strange. Must be because I finished reading it recently. God, Kenshin was an amazing series…)

The man called Saito approached. "Hai, Fugeki-san?" he asked.

"Saito, you're my best marksman. It will therefore be your duty to take the shot. Use this," Fugeki said, holding out the bow and arrow, which were still faintly glowing pink.

Saito nodded and relieved the village chief of the two objects. Together they moved towards the gate of the hanamachi, prepared to set the women and girls free from the youkai.

-

"Well, we should be heading out," Hana said at last. "Thank you all so much for your kindness."

The miko-youkai bowed politely.

"It is I who should be thanking you, Hana-sama. If it weren't for you and your companions, our okiya would no longer be standing and Haruka would have been unable to perform for the rest of her life, or worse she would have died. I owe you a great debt. You will always be welcome here in the hanamachi. Arigatou gozaimasu minna-san." Mameha said, going into a full bow.

Hana, Kagome, and Mei Lhi bowed back while Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Kyo inclined their heads politely. Together the group left the room and crossed the courtyard and passed through the gates of the okiya.

Haruka stood from the table and shot Miyoharu a glance. The younger girl also rose from her seat.

"Mameha-san, we're going to see the army off." Haruka said.

Mameha nodded and returned to her meal. Haruka and Miyoharu took brisk strides across the courtyard and saw Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and the others standing in the middle of the main road. Sesshoumaru was speaking to Nobunaga, while the others listened. Haruka quickly pulled Miyoharu aside.

"Look over there by the gate," she said.

The girl followed her onee-san's gaze and saw the villagers had entered the hanamachi and were approaching, one of the men holding a bow and arrow which glowed pink feebly.

"The shot will come from there. When I tell you to, run to Tsurugi and stop only when you've reached him. I will protect you." Haruka continued.

Miyoharu nodded and tried to take a deep calming breath. From the corner of her eye she could see the man carrying the bow and arrow raise it to firing position. He set the arrow and pulled back the string.

"NOW!" Haruka yelled.

Miyoharu didn't even realize she was moving. She could see Tsurugi before her and from her left she could see the arrow approaching its target.

"Tsurugi!" Sesshoumaru's voice sounded, having noticed the arrow approaching.

The maiko took a leap forward, her hands catching Tsurugi's shoulders. She looked into his eyes and saw his confused expression for only a fraction of a second. Then she felt pain beyond pain as the arrow struck, the remaining holy power coursing through her body like poison. Her eyes clamped shut tightly from the pain and she looked up at Tsurugi once again.

"Miyoharu-san," he whispered, his face now bearing the conflicted emotions of shock and horror. "Why?"

"The West…lives with you, Tsurugi-sama…" she gasped through the pain. "You have to live…"

Sesshoumaru's cool and collected mask was barely holding. Boiling below the surface was fury that someone had tried to kill his son. And below that rage came a deep sorrow as he began to realize how close he had been to losing a second child.

"Miyo-chan!" Various maiko screamed.

"Miyoharu-san!" Others yelled out.

The people turned and saw the villagers gathered at the gate.

"How DARE you!" The residents of the hanamachi roared in outrage.

"We only wished to free you from Sesshoumaru's control and this is the thanks we get?" Fugeki shouted.

"We're under no spell! You villagers have always hated youkai and foreigners! So you decided to exact your hatred upon an innocent boy?"

"Hatsumomo-san told us-!"

"Hatsumomo is a vile SNAKE! She's poisoned your minds, filled your hearts with hatred! She spreads animosity and discord like the plague! Everything she touches becomes tainted! You are fools to trust her!"

Miyoharu's body could no longer support her and in an instant she felt herself go limp. Tsurugi reacted immediately and caught her before she could hit the ground. Haruka rushed out and ran to the girl's side.

"Kami-sama! What happened?" She asked worriedly, even though she knew full well what had transpired, she had to keep up the act of being blissfully unaware.

"She…she saved my life." Tsurugi replied slowly.

Haruka quickly helped the girl to her feet and was soon aided by Hatsumiyo who had come rushing out after all the shouting.

"Please, I can help her," Hana began to protest as Haruka and Hatsumiyo led Miyoharu away.

"No, it's quite alright. The kimono and obi most likely saved her from being mortally injured. If anything, she'll only have a flesh wound. Besides, you have more important matters to attend to." Haruka replied.

Hana began to reply when Sesshoumaru interrupted. "Enough, Hana-chan. If they do not require our help then they don't need any of us to interfere. Haruka-san is right. There is a war to be fought." The taiyoukai said.

The miko-youkai nodded and then briskly walked towards the young maiko being held up by her two companions.

"In any case, before we depart I want to give you my deepest thanks. You saved our son. Sesshoumaru and I are indebted to you. Thank you." Hana said, bowing.

Miyoharu inclined her head as best she could without moving too much to aggravate the wound on her back. "You saved my Onee-san. Consider that debt fulfilled." She replied, her voice soft.

Hana nodded and walked away where Sesshoumaru and the others stood waiting. Then as one the group moved forward with the remaining soldiers, not looking back.

* * *

**A/N:** Whew, another one finished! Yay! And guess what guys? It's longer than my average 11 pages! Well, just a page and two lines on another page longer. But in any case it's longer! So I'll shut up. The new apartment doesn't have internet (shocked gasp) so I've been without internet for about 2-3 weeks. So that's PLENTY of writing time. Anywho, time to move on to the next chappie! See ya next time, whenever that may be! Ja! 


	13. Divine Intervention

**A/N:** OMG we're back! Yatta! Okay, so I've moved in, still no internet, so no Guild Wars, (Sorry Carrie! Ginny and Hermione will have to level together some other time) no deviantART (Sorry A.J., I'm sure you've caught my kiriban already), anyways, I finished "Deathly Hallows" a long time ago. In fact, I reread the entire series of seven books in less than 2 weeks. So I'm pretty bored. My supply of fresh reading material is bone dry. I'm still trying to get registered for school over here, but that's been a pain in the ass. Jesus Christ transferring over is like asking someone to cut off their hand! I've made three trips to the school and I don't have a schedule or an ID or any of my books! So in essence the main negative thing of this move is that my school schedule, for lack of better words, is fucked. My senior year is gonna suck. (Sigh) Alas, I'll make due with what I can. Hopefully I won't have to take math. XD I _HATE_ math. I only need 45 credits to graduate! GYAA!!! I saw my unofficial transcript and was like, O.o Oh crap I'm rambling. Alright enough about my life, this is a fanfic author's note not my journal on dA. So to do the disclaimer is…Toji!

Toji: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, or Memoirs of a Geisha. Those are the respective properties of Rumiko Takahashi, Kishimoto Masashi, and Arthur Golden. Aki does own her characters and this plot. The only OC characters she does not own are Zetsuei and Mizumi, and in a sense Aki doesn't own Miseru, Ikarisu, or Kyoriko as they are the names of three of Carrie's Guild Wars characters (Miseru Sen, Ikarisu Nintai, and Kyoriko Ryoshima if Aki remembers correctly) so Aki supposes that they belong to Carrie, along with Mizumi, since she's yet another Guild Wars character of the same name, Mizumi Ichitani. Ah hell, Carrie owns ALL of the characters mentioned in the East except for Masashi and Mamoru and Masashi's drinking buddies and the Torayoukai people. This is the longest disclaimer ever and Aki is making me talk far too much, so I'm going to leave. Without any longer delay than there already is, here's chapter thirteen.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: Divine Intervention

"We've waited long enough, Masashi-sama," Takeda Katsuyori began. "Your daughter has run away, the wedding is off. There's no reason to delay any further. The western troops have long since departed for Kyoto. In fact I hear today they make for Nagashino Castle as we speak! We have to mobilize our units before it's too late! If we delay any longer Nagashino will be lost before we can even arrive!"

Masashi sighed. "Very well, it is just as you said. We have to mobilize. I shall brief my army and they shall be ready for departure before nightfall. In the meantime, I shall go contact my allies and prepare my battle strategy." He said at last, sounding weary.

Katsuyori nodded and left the room. Masashi rubbed his head in hopes of alleviating his stress. He turned to his new head of the guard. "Any news?" he asked.

"We know that Mizumi-sama fled from the forest wall. It was the only wall with a final change of guard ceremony. Also, every five miles or so we've found white thread or pieces of white silk snagged on the branches. We can safely assume that we're finding pieces of Mizumi-sama's wedding kimono. The trail appears to be headed north. So far this is all we can tell you." The head of the guard replied.

Masashi sighed again. "I see. Continue to search. I want any new information reported to me immediately."

"It will be done, my lord."

-

Meanwhile, Mizumi and Zetsuei had just stopped at the outskirts of Kyoto.

"I just realized something," Mizumi began suddenly.

Zetsuei turned to look at her.

"We can't both go to Kyoto. Who's going to inform the West of the attack?" she continued.

"What do you propose?" Zetsuei asked.

"You go back. Go to the Western Lands and tell them Ichitani Mizumi of the East sends this warning: An attack is coming to your lands, the Neko no Taisho has ordered a double assault on the Inuyoukai clan. Please prepare accordingly." She answered. "And if they don't believe you, give them this," the Nekoyoukai girl pulled off one of the bracelets from her wrist and handed it to the Torayoukai assassin. "It bears my father's seal. The residents of the West will know you speak the truth."

The Torayoukai nodded and in the blink of an eye, he vanished. Mizumi turned towards Kyoto, taking in the scents in the area. Sesshoumaru and his company had come and left several days prior, yet the scent of one Inuyoukai remained. It was her only chance. The girl strode forward and headed into the city.

-

Miyoharu's eyes slowly began to open, blinded by the sunlight. Someone quickly drew a curtain and the girl's eyes were able to adjust easily. Once she was able to focus her eyes after clearing her vision of sunspots, she saw her onee-san looking over her.

"How are you feeling, Miyo-chan?" the geisha asked.

"I'm very tired," the girl answered honestly. "What happened to me?"

Haruka sighed. "You got lucky. Extremely lucky. The arrow's holy powers had just about died out when it struck you. On top of that, it hit you through the obi of your kimono. It just barely grazed your back. Morimoto-san was furious though," she replied.

"What about my family? Did they figure it out?" Miyoharu asked worriedly.

"Iie, they still believe you to be a young maiko who bravely stepped forward and saved their son's life, nothing more."

Miyoharu sat silently in thought, going over her onee-san's words. "The kimono…you knew didn't you? That it'd save my life?"

Haruka nodded. "Hai. It was thick enough to slow down the arrow and cause it to not strike too deep. But you're still lucky. You should've been mortally wounded from the holy powers coming into contact with your skin. Apparently your mother's miko powers passed down into you and protected you from being purified. You don't even have a scar."

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"Almost three days. Your family left Kyoto immediately after you saved Tsurugi, so you need not worry about them."

The maiko sighed and sat up at last, her back feeling incredibly stiff. She rose and dressed, then proceeded downstairs. Hatsumiyo and Mameha both looked overjoyed to see her up and walking around, relieved that the arrow hadn't done any serious damage. After a quick breakfast, Miyoharu decided to take a walk. Her head was muddled with thoughts and distorted and blurred images she had seen in and out of consciousness over the past few days.

She stepped outside at last, breathing in the fresh morning air and clearing her head. Then she remembered. Hatsumomo betrayed them and organized Tsurugi's assassination attempt. She jumped in front of him and took the arrow meant for him. Her mother thanked her for saving Tsurugi, not a single soul recognizing her for who she was. Then, all went black. She remembered being inside and Haruka pulling out the arrow. More blackness, then silence. She sighed and kept walking, still caught up in her thoughts.

In fact, she was so engrossed in her mental wanderings she was oblivious to the fast approaching footsteps sounding behind her. It wasn't until someone yelled, "Hey, dog girl!" that she snapped quickly out of her reverie.

Miyoharu turned, seeing a girl around her age running toward her. Her nose informed her that the girl was Nekoyoukai. The maiko's eyes narrowed. What was a Nekoyoukai doing out here? The maiko quickly turned away and walked briskly forward.

"Hey, wait!" The Nekoyoukai girl's voice called after her. "Please wait! I've been running for days! I have to tell someone, I have to warn the Inuyoukai!"

Miyoharu slowed her pace slightly and waited for the girl to catch up to her before walking down an empty alley.

"Who are you?" the maiko asked, the moment the Nekoyoukai was in hearing range. "And how do you know I'm a youkai?"

The girl caught her breath for a moment before she replied. "My name is Ichitani Mizumi, my father is the Neko no Taisho. I smelled you here, that's how I knew you're an Inuyoukai." She answered.

"Why should I trust the daughter of the enemy?" Miyoharu inquired coldly.

"I ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage to a heartless man named Harukichi and also to escape a live of subservience to both my father and that Ryuuyoukai bastard."

Miyoharu turned to look at the girl. "I know Harukichi…well, I know of him. I met him when I was little. He tried to kill my aunt and threatened to kill me and my siblings and the rest of my family as well," she said. "He truly is a heartless man. I can trust you."

Mizumi sighed with relief. "I'm glad I've earned your trust,"

"Why's that?"

"My father and Harukichi plan to attack Tsurugi directly during the coming battle. My father also plans to gather youkai to attack the Western Lands while it's unguarded and vulnerable. He hopes to crush the West's power once and for all and eliminate the Inuyoukai. Also, he hopes to disguise youkai of the East as the guards of Nagashino Castle and surprise attack the Western forces. I've sent my traveling companion, Zetsuei, a Torayoukai, to the Western Lands to warn the residents there, while I came here in hopes of catching up to Sesshoumaru-sama. Unfortunately, I've missed his departure, so I'm telling you, seeing as you're Inuyoukai as well. You can help me,"

"But-"

"Look, there isn't much time. The siege at Nagashino is coming."

Miyoharu sighed and nodded. "Please, follow me." She said.

Together they walked back to the okiya, finding it surprisingly empty. Its only occupant was Haruka.

"Onee-san," Miyoharu greeted.

Haruka inclined her head. "Who's this?" she asked, looking at Mizumi.

"Her name is Mizumi Ichitani. She's the daughter of the Neko no Taisho and escaped fiancée of Harukichi. She came to warn Sesshoumaru and the others of her father's and Harukichi's battle plans." The maiko answered.

"I see. Well, you'd best get a futon laid out for her."

Mizumi seemed to have lost her patience. "Listen to me! My father's troops are undoubtedly mobilizing right now! There isn't any time to waste! We have to warn the others before it's too late!" She shouted hotly.

"I understand completely Mizumi-san, but Miyo-chan and I simply can't waltz out of here without saying anything or even taking the time to say goodbye. We are bound to the hanamachi. I shall set our affairs in order and we shall leave when the both of us have formally retired and the okiya's future is secured." Haruka said calmly, completely unbothered by the girl's recent outburst.

The Nekoyoukai girl sighed and nodded. She would have to wait.

-

Toji slowly opened the door before him where a dozen black cloaked figures turned to look at him.

"_What do you need, child?_" The Fates asked in unison.

The Spirit of Life sighed. "I wish to kill myself. I can't live any longer like this. I miss her too much." He said.

"_You have no authority to eradicate yourself. You have a purpose, Adachi Toji. You have no reason to die._" The Fates replied.

"Well I've got no reason live either! Without Reika, I'm alone, I'm nothing! I feel hollow and cold! There's nothing left for me here. I've got no reason to continue living! Why can't I just die and get it over with? Why can't I just join her and be at peace? At least in death I'll be with her!"

"_**We forbid you to do such a thing! You have a duty that needs to be served! Until that duty has been fulfilled, you are henceforth forbidden to die or attempt to remove yourself from this world! Is that understood?**_"

Toji gritted his teeth angrily. Slowly but surely he nodded. He quickly turned on his heel and slammed the door shut.

So…he was forbidden to kill himself now was he?

'_I'll show them…_' He thought. '_I'll be with her…Reika, I'm going to see you again very soon…_'

He headed to his beloved's room and shut the door, finding the object he desired. He picked up the dagger with the teardrop shaped ruby set in the handle. It was with this dagger that Reika stabbed herself and so ended her own life to save Mei Lhi from death. He twirled it idly between his fingers. Then it was only fitting he would end his own life with the same object that ended hers.

Toji stood and looked toward the heavily curtained window. He could almost see her. Reika was beckoning him.

"Soon Reika, soon." He whispered.

-

Hundreds of miles away, Haruka felt the Book of Fate grow heavy and cold. At that same instant, she could feel Toji's pain. With trembling fingers she picked up the book and opened it.

'_Adachi Toji, suicide. Estimated time left until death: five minutes forty seconds._'

She screamed. "No! Not you…_anyone_ but you!" she cried.

Miyoharu looked up worriedly from where she sat, rushing to her onee-san's side. "What's wrong, Onee-san?" she asked.

Haruka couldn't speak. Her face was hidden in her hands as she began to cry. Miyoharu saw the book and picked up, reading the latest entry.

"Onee-san! You have to stop him! You can't let him do this! You have to let him know you exist! Otherwise, you'll never see him again!" The maiko exclaimed.

The geisha looked up and choked back sobs and nodded slowly. Mizumi, intrigued by all the commotion abandoned the bowl of rice that Miyoharu had sneaked upstairs for her to eat and picked up the book. "Who's Adachi Toji?" she asked.

"My mate…" Haruka whispered.

Mizumi's eyes widened slightly. "You're a youkai too?" she exclaimed in surprise.

Haruka nodded. "I'm a Jyuu rank Ryuuyoukai of the Spirits, the Spirit of Anti-Life, or as it's better known, the spirit of death."

The Nekoyoukai girl nodded in understanding then looked back at the book. "According to this, you've got four minutes left."

The geisha flinched and grabbed the book, closing her eyes as she begged for a vision to come. She saw him. Toji was in the North in a dark room, playing with a dagger, waiting for sunset. He would die when she died, die by the same instrument that she had. He looked around the room and sighed. It was almost time.

Haruka's eyes snapped open. Glancing at the page in her book, she saw she now had three minutes left.

"I'll be back soon." She said hurriedly.

Without a second thought, she extended her right arm parallel to the floor and made odd motions with her left hand and vanished into ashes.

-

She reappeared in the North instantly, checking her book. Two minutes. She ran through the halls and had to stop several times as a vision of Toji piercing his heart with a dagger clouded her thoughts.

She kept running, searching desperately for any sign of him. He was nowhere in sight. She started flinging open door after door. No, all these rooms were brightly lit. She checked her book again. One minute.

'_Shimatta…where are you Toji?_' she thought desperately.

She continued to run, now on the next level, still tearing open door after door. She checked her book again and to her horror saw that it read 'thirty seconds'. Running as fast as her feet could carry her, she proceeded to the next floor.

"Toji!" She screamed. "Toji! TOJI! TOJIIIIIII!"

She shut her eyes again. Toji sighed and began to tighten his grip on the dagger. A dagger with a ruby in the shape of a teardrop. He raised it to his chest.

"I'll put it here," He murmured. "Just like she did."

He looked around the room one final time. So many memories. In the spot just two feet away from where he stood was where they shared their final kiss. Then to his right stood the bed where they had last made love. He sighed. He raised the dagger over his head and prepared to strike.

"Reika, I'll be with you soon."

Her eyes snapped open. She knew exactly where he was. Her room. She glanced at her book. Ten seconds. She looked around quickly. Her room was still two floors up. She'd never make it in time.

Five seconds. She pictured the bit of floor right in front of where Toji now stood and extended her right arm, making swift motions with her left hand. She vanished into ash and began to count down.

'_Four…Three…Two…One._'

She reappeared and grabbed Toji's wrist in the nick of time. He froze, his eyes wide with shock.

"Rei…ka…" He breathed.

"Don't you dare. I'm not worth it." The Spirit of Anti-Life said once she had caught her breath.

She twisted his wrist so that he released the dagger from his grasp. Toji continued to look at her disbelievingly. Then without warning he embraced her tightly, burying his face into her hair.

"Kami-sama, how? You're supposed to be dead." The Spirit of Life said, his voice quavering.

Without warning he began to cry, still too stunned to believe that Reika, his Reika, was here with him now and alive, truly alive. It was then that Haruka realized she could never return to being a geisha ever again. She was Reika again. The girl she thought she'd left behind fourteen years ago.

"I know," she whispered. "And I'm sorry, so sorry, that I didn't tell you. I promise you, I'll tell you everything. But Kami-sama, after I thought I'd died, I was so scared you'd be angry with me and hate me for not telling you I was alive."

She began to cry too and Toji raised his head, looking straight into his beloved's deep violet eyes.

"I could never hate you. I mean it when I say it. There's nothing you could do that would make me feel that way." He said.

He tilted her chin upwards and leaned closer to her and kissed her as if to prove that his words rang true. She kissed him back and suddenly it felt as if time had not passed at all. She was fourteen again and so was he. Their marks blazed with heat as their bodies burned with desire. They fell to the floor and soon found themselves lost in the past.

-

Dawn broke on a very different day.

For a moment, Toji was frightened to completely wake. Perhaps it all had been a dream? He opened his eyes and promptly realized that the events of the previous day were all real. Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the young woman that lay beside him. His touch caused her to stir.

"What is it?" she asked, looking over her shoulder to glance at him.

"I'm just glad this wasn't a dream." Toji replied.

Reika smiled and turned onto her other side so that she was facing him. "I, unfortunately, don't specialize in fantasies, only realities," She said simply. "You should know that."

He nodded. "Hai, I know."

They stayed silent for a few moments, staring into one another's eyes. Reika looked away after a while, her eyes staring at the floor as if pondering something.

"Do you still hate the world?" she asked hesitantly. "Do you still think you don't have a reason to live anymore?"

Toji seemed quite taken aback at her questions, with a small grin he began to answer. "I seem to find I have a much brighter outlook on the outside world now and I'm perfectly content to continue to live because my reason to live returned to me yesterday at sunset," He replied. "You're here with me now, everything, all the pain and anger; it's all been washed away."

The Spirit of Anti-Life nodded, satisfied with his answer. She turned towards the heavily curtained window and seemed to sense that morning had arrived.

"It's time to leave," she said.

"Leave where?" Toji asked.

"I rushed out of my okiya yesterday to save you. Nobody knows where I am right now. Knowing Mameha-san, she's going to be out of her mind with worry."

"Well I'm coming with you."

"Of course you are. You think that after all this, I'd leave you alone again? I'm going to retire today so that we can finally get started on the life we should've had together."

Toji nodded and smiled. Today they could finally begin their lives.

-

Miyoharu was starting to nod off when a swirl of ashes in the middle of the floor began to ascend and solidify into two people. She stood, fire blazing in her eyes.

"Where the hell have you been? What took you so long?" The maiko raged.

Reika flinched slightly, but quickly recovered. "Didn't you sleep last night?" She asked.

Miyoharu shook her head and realized that her onee-san was accompanied by none other than Toji. She also noticed that the geisha's kimono was looser than usual and it exposed a lot more of her neck and chest than it normally did. The girl's eyes were quickly drawn to small bruise-like marks all over her elder sister's skin. The maiko smirked.

"Well, I can see that you did more than sleep last night too," She commented dryly.

Reika looked confused. "What do you mean?" she asked absentmindedly.

Miyoharu gestured at her kimono, how it rested properly on her body, covering up everything, only exposing her neck and a small bit of skin just below the base of her neck. "Well, look at yourself," she said finally, clearly enjoying teasing her elder sister about what she had done the night before.

The Spirit of the Anti-Life finally seemed to have realized what the maiko spoke of and with a flushed face and a dark look at Toji, she fixed her kimono. "I was in a rush to get back here." She replied.

Miyoharu sighed. "Well in any case, I'm happy that you and Toji-san have made up." She said.

Toji turned to her. "Wait, how do you know me?" he asked.

Reika smiled. "She's Tsuki-chan." She said.

The Spirit of Life looked at her incredulously. "Nani? But _she's_ supposed to be dead too!"

"It seems that the dead nowadays have an uncanny habit of suddenly coming back to life, or not being dead in the first place. Check the 'Shi' side of the book, you'll find that Tsuki-chan isn't listed in it."

Mizumi had been watching the entire event unfold, getting progressively more confused by the minute. "Hold on, so what's going on here? First off, who's that guy? Second, what are you two talking about Miyoharu being 'Tsuki-chan'? Third, what's all this business about the dead coming back to life?" She inquired.

Miyoharu and Reika both sighed. They seemed to have forgotten that Mizumi was there.

"That guy over there is Adachi Toji, the person my onee-san rushed off to save yesterday. My name really isn't Miyoharu and my onee-san isn't really named Haruka either. As for the dead coming back to life, because my onee-san is the Spirit of Anti-Life, she can't die, but Toji-san thought she was dead and so did I, well, until I ran into her accidentally when I was six. I'm also supposed to be dead, but I faked my death so I could run away here and become a geisha." The maiko explained.

Mizumi blinked several times. "Then if your name really isn't Miyoharu, then who are you really?" she asked.

"Tsukimisou Taisho." Miyoharu replied.

The Nekoyoukai girl leapt to her feet. "Nani?! That's not possible! Tsukimisou was kidnapped and killed in the woods!" She exclaimed.

"Or," The maiko began. "Tsukimisou went outside her room, broke down the wall and then left her room in disarray, making it look like she was kidnapped, then ran out into the rain and left a trail. As for being killed in the woods, perhaps she dug her claws into her own body and allowed herself to bleed enough to where it looked as if she'd been murdered, leaving her blood soaked clothes behind. After that, she probably decided to pursue her dream of becoming a geisha, since her mother wouldn't allow it. She ran as fast as she could until she made it to Kyoto where a kind geisha named Haruka, who recognized her instantly for who she really was, took her in and taught her everything she knew." She concluded.

"Ah, so that's how you did it," Toji said. "I was starting to wonder, Tsuki-chan."

The girl looked up and nodded. Mizumi said nothing, still trying to comprehend the younger girl's words. Finally, Reika broke the ice.

"I think we could all use some breakfast, don't you?" she said, turning to them all.

The three nodded and then Miyoharu paused. "What about Toji-san? Won't Mother get upset?" she asked. (A/N: Men aren't allowed in okiya before 10:00am I believe. And even then, they can only stay in the main entrance room. They're never allowed inside the inner chambers and especially not in the bedrooms of geisha and maiko. But let's just say Mameha-san is very lenient.)

Reika shook her head. "Not if I say he's my danna, which he is, I might add, Mameha-san won't mind. Besides, she should remember him. It's because of Toji that this okiya is financially set for at least the next two hundred years." She replied.

Miyoharu shrugged and headed downstairs, Mizumi hesitantly followed after, unsure as to how this Mameha-san the others spoke of would take her sudden and unannounced appearance at their table. Reika turned to Toji and took his hand and the pair followed after the others.

-

Once Mameha had been introduced to Mizumi and reacquainted with Toji, breakfast that morning went off without a hitch. It wasn't until midway through the meal that Reika finally believed the time was right to announce her retirement.

"Mameha-san, I wish to retire," she said suddenly.

Everyone at the table looked up at her surprised. Toji had already known, but was nonetheless surprised that she'd announce it so early in the day.

Mameha stared at the geisha seriously for several seconds. "Will you be coming back? Like you did before?" she asked finally.

Reika shook her head. "Iie. This time, I'm retiring for good. I won't be coming back." She replied.

"Under what grounds do you wish to retire?"

The Spirit of the Anti-Life sat silently in thought for a moment before answering. "I wish to live my life. The man I love has come back into my life. I've sacrificed time I could have spent with him for dance once before. I don't plan to do it again." She said finally.

Mameha took a sip of her tea before speaking. "As daughter of this okiya, you're allowed to set conditions, what do you request be done before you leave?" The head geisha asked.

"Firstly, I want you to adopt Hatsumiyo as your successor. She has great potential and she deserved much more than what Hatsumomo gave her. Secondly, the money from my mizuage, I don't want it. You can keep it and help support the okiya. I don't want any sort of parting gifts either. And thirdly, this is the last request I will make, but I wish for Miyo-chan to be allowed to retire and come with me when I leave." Reika answered.

The head geisha seemed frozen in shock. "Miyoharu can't retire. She's only a maiko. Until she comes of age, she can't leave." She said firmly.

Reika sighed. "You don't understand, Mameha-san. I can't leave Miyo-chan. I've known her for a very long time, even before she came to this okiya. In a sense, we truly have become sisters. Where I go, she goes. There are things happening around us that cannot be undone," Reika began.

"You mean the battle between Nobunaga and Takeda? What does Miyoharu have to do with them?"

"Not with them, but Sesshoumaru and the Neko no Taisho."

"What do you mean?"

"Our guest, Mizumi, is the daughter of the Neko no Taisho. She came to warn Sesshoumaru of her father's intentions, which turn out to be killing Tsurugi."

"I still don't see how Miyoharu ties into all of this."

"Miyoharu's given name was never Tanaka Arisu. It was something I made up in order to protect her. Her true given name is Tsukimisou Taisho. That is why she's concerned. Her brother is the central target in the battle ahead. And if Tsurugi dies, the West falls, and Japan falls with it."

Mameha went stiff with shock, staring at Miyoharu disbelievingly. "She looks nothing like Sesshoumaru-sama or any other member of the Inu clan. She appears ningen!" The head geisha protested.

The Spirit of Anti-Life sighed. "That's because I took her to the North shortly before she arrived and had one of the Ryuuyoukai clan heads change her appearance so that her family wouldn't find out she was here. Show her, Tsuki-chan." The geisha said.

The girl nodded and closed her eyes. Immediately her appearance began to change. The girl's hair turned silver and youkai markings appeared on her face, her ears became pointed, claws and fangs grew, and when the girl opened her eyes, they were a warm golden amber color. She shut her eyes again and resumed her human appearance.

Mameha sat silently, her face showing both her shock and disbelief. Hatsumiyo was wide-eyed in shock that the person she came to know as one of her closest friends was the supposedly dead daughter of Sesshoumaru. Finally, after a few moments, the head geisha spoke again.

"Very well, I accept your retirement conditions. It has been an honor having both you and Miyoharu in this okiya. I will miss you both dearly." She said at last.

Reika bowed her head. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Mameha-san. It's been an honor to have been able to call you my onee-san." The now officially ex-geisha replied.

Mameha smiled warmly. "I hope that your lives together are long and happy," she began. "You are welcome back as my guest any time you like. But if you do change your mind further along the road of life, I will graciously accept you both back into this okiya."

Reika nodded. The two women stood and bowed to one another.

"It has been an honor to serve," Reika said softly.

"As it has been an honor to provide," Mameha replied. "I release you both from the confines of the hanamachi. Hatsumiyo, you are my successor now."

Hatsumiyo stood and bowed deeply. "Thank you, I promise to work hard and live up to the name of atotori!" (A/N: 'Atotori' is the title of the person named to be the successor to the okiya, but I believe in actuality, girls are groomed from early childhood to become atotori, they don't just get the title randomly. PS: The whole retirement thing, I made it up. I really don't know how geisha retire.)

"I'm certain you will, Hatsumiyo."

-

Meanwhile, thousands of soldiers marched toward Nagashino.

"Ready, halt!" Nobunaga shouted.

The soldiers stopped immediately.

"We've arrived. I want everyone to set up camp. This will be our new base of operations. We wait until the enemy arrives and makes the first move." The daimyo ordered.

Immediately, soldiers broke formation and set to work. They were in a large clearing, exactly one mile away from the castle. From the clearing, Sesshoumaru could clearly see the castle ahead. In the trees surrounding the castle, there wasn't the slightest inkling that their enemies had arrived before them. The taiyoukai felt someone touch his arm. He looked to his side and saw Hana staring off into the distance with him.

"So, this is where it will begin?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Hai. Be prepared, it can happen without warning."

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah I know I'm killing you all. It'll be well worth it in the end. I suppose this final week of summer vacation's really getting to me. Of course by the time these chapters go up, I'll have long been already in school. The internet people are supposed to come on August 31st, so hopefully I can get these up. But yay me! This is the second chapter I've cranked out in 2 days! WOO! And I can't believe it; I'm actually able to keep the plot at a relatively even pace. "Threads" went by _way_ too fast. I got my schedule for school yesterday (August 28) and holy crap! I'm only taking 2 real classes. I've just got Economics/Government and English! Everything else is all electives! WOOT! So I should be able to have plenty of writing time, since I'll only be having two classes worth of homework instead of five or six like it's been the past three years. I finally have an easy high school year! Ah, I could sing. Oh wait I am. I signed up for choir this year. XD Only problem with that is I'm embarrassed about singing in front of people…I have an unconscious fear that I sing off-key, even though my brain is telling me I'm fine. XP Oh well, I'll get over it. Anyways, I'll shut up. Time to go and write the next chappie. XD Ja ne until next time! 


	14. The Siege On The West

**A/N:** Wahoo! We're back again! Damn I'm working over time! Let's get this party started! (I had Lucky Charms for breakfast today…we all know what THAT means) Can you believe I'm starting this the exact same day I finished Ch 12? This'll be two chapters in one day! Today being August 29, that is. XD Anyways, enough delays, for this chapter, the disclaimer will be read by Inuyasha! (We haven't seen him in a while, I gotta check every now and then he hasn't died from ramen deprivation.)

Inuyasha: Aki doesn't own me, my series, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, the characters Ichitani Mizumi, Miseru, Ikarisu, Kyoriko, Zetsuei, or anything else she may have alluded to in her story. So here's chapter fourteen.  
Me: That was oddly polite for you.  
Inuyasha: Shut up.  
Me: Ah, there's the Inu-kun I know! XD Sorry! Go on to the chapter! XP

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: The Siege on the West

The soldiers from the East had entered their third day of marching. It would still be another five to six days before they reached Nagashino. Masashi was furious. Takeda Katsuyori's men had been less prepared that he thought. Some of the men were slobbering drunks, others were so old and frail they could scarcely walk, let alone hold a sword.

Thus, Masashi had to postpone their mobilization and replace all of the weak or unfit soldiers with men of his own. What made Masashi even angrier about all this is that in order of have enough forces to replace the near two thousand unprepared or disabled men, the Neko no Taisho had to pull men from his own palace, which meant that the East was short by a third of their usual amount of soldiers on guard, leaving the lands much more vulnerable than usual.

Masashi could only hope the enemy would not attack his homeland while he was away, otherwise, the East would be destroyed. Permanently.

-

Two days after announcing her retirement, Reika and Tsukimisou were both ready to leave. Their okiya had been sworn to secrecy, to tell no one of the pair's true identities. Reika knew that Mameha and Hatsumiyo would keep their word.

With a sigh, she took a final look around the place she had been living for so many years, at last heading for the door. "Tsuki-chan, let's go," she said.

The Inuyoukai girl nodded and followed. Toji and Mizumi stood waiting for them outside in the courtyard.

"I see you're back in your old clothes," Toji said, commenting on Reika's attire, which happened to be a black kimono and white inner layer, completed with a dark purple obi. They were the same clothes she wore long ago when she was younger, except this kimono seemed to have escaped becoming as tattered and threadbare as the others.

Reika nodded. "I had to give back all the kimonos that belonged to the okiya. Those kimonos aren't rightfully mine to keep. So I took some of my clothes from my room before we left the North. Even Tsuki-chan is borrowing one of mine," She explained. "I received it as a present a very long time ago. It looks better on her anyway."

All eyes were diverted Tsukimisou who stood a few feet away. She wore a very beautiful summer kimono that was the palest color of light blue that it almost looked white. It was embroidered with silver thread that made endless strings of silver sakura blossoms. The obi was silver-colored, a shade darker than the embroidery, patterned with flowers and maple leaves. Mizumi stared at the younger girl's attire incredulously.

"You're going to run in that?" The Nekoyoukai girl asked.

"Of course not," Tsukimisou replied. "Toji-san and Reika-chan have better means of transportation than just running there."

The Daughter of the East shrugged her shoulders. "Okay then…" She muttered.

Without a backwards glance four of them walked out the okiya gate and through the streets of the hanamachi. Many geisha and maiko stepped outside and bade the Reika and Tsukimisou farewell and wished the pair good luck with their lives.

At last they reached the gate that led them away from the hanamachi and towards the city of Kyoto itself. They crossed a bridge that passed over a large stream and entered the city.

"Why are we here?" Mizumi asked.

"Because no one knows we're youkai. Well, except for you, so we have to walk like we're ningen until we're out of sight from the hanamachi. Only our okiya was sworn to secrecy, not the others." Tsukimisou explained.

The Nekoyoukai sighed and nodded reluctantly.

'_That explains why she still looks human._' The Neko girl mused.

The four of them continued walking forward. They had only gone a few steps when a figure in dark clothing shot out of a tree and in front of them. Mizumi stared at the newcomer, recognizing his dark green hair and magenta eyes.

"Zetsuei, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"The West has been warned." He replied, looking around at the three other people who accompanied the Nekoyoukai girl curiously.

Mizumi noticed his stare at the others. "Oh, they've come to help us. So don't worry about them." She said pleasantly.

Zetsuei nodded. "Have you any other task for me?" he asked.

"Yes, I want you to find my father. Find out what he's up to. If either he or Harukichi come up with any sort of alterations to their original battle plan, I want you to come straight to us at once."

The Torayoukai nodded and disappeared instantly.

"So where do we go now?" Tsukimisou asked.

"We stay here in Kyoto until we receive news," Toji answered. "So I suggest we find ourselves a nice inn to stay at."

The other three nodded and together they set off, heading to the heart of Kyoto.

-

"We just passed Kyoto!" Sango shouted over the wind whistling in everyone's ears. "We'll make it to Nagashino Castle soon!"

Aijii grinned. "About time!" He yelled back. "Come on Kago! Fly faster, we're almost there!"

Yuri giggled slightly. Aijii turned to her immediately. "What'd he say?" The Inu boy asked.

"Kago said that you should try carrying all three of us before you tell him to fly faster. He says that you weigh a ton." The girl replied.

Satsu immediately began laughing. "Ha! That's what you get from eating so much damn Pocky!" She exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

The Inu boy rounded on his sister. "Well there wasn't a moment that I didn't see you stuffing your face with Pocky too, fat ass!" He yelled back.

Satsu growled and pounced on her brother. "What the hell did you say?" She yelled, her hand coiling into a fist.

Kago growled in warning at the pair, looking over his shoulder. Both Satsu and Aijii paused in mid-struggle.

"Kago would like to remind you yet again, we shouldn't be fighting, especially not two hundred feet above the ground. He says if you two don't stop it he's going to throw you both off." Yuri said in a serious voice.

Sango and Miroku, who were both riding on Kirara, sighed. The pair hadn't seen such horrible sibling rivalry since Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.

"Houshi-sama, there's the castle!" Sango called out.

The kids looked down and saw the castle coming into view.

"But there's an army camped out a mile from it. I don't know if it's safe to land." The taijiya continued.

Aijii looked to his best friend, still in his Ryuu form. "Hey Kago, could you fly us a little lower so we can see the banners?" He asked.

Kago nodded and began to descend, Kirara following after.

They dropped about a hundred feet and below they could see soldiers scrambling about in alarm. Aijii frantically search for the army's pennants and his eyes found a post with a white silk banner and a crescent moon above an illustration of a giant dog.

"It's safe! That's Sesshoumaru-oji-san's flag! Inutaisho's on the banner!" The boy yelled.

The others nodded and dropped lower and prepared to land.

-

The soldiers on the ground were in a frenzied state of uproar.

"Nobunaga-sama! A Ryuuyoukai and a Nekoyoukai have appeared in the sky!" The men yelled.

The daimyo got to his feet and exited the tent and saw Sesshoumaru staring skyward, an eyebrow raised in interest.

"They're not a threat to us." The taiyoukai said once Nobunaga was close enough to hear him.

"Allies?" Nobunaga asked.

Sesshoumaru nodded.

Nearby soldiers were picking up their weapons. Nobunaga noticed this immediately.

"Lay down your arms! These are our allies, not our foes!" He ordered.

The soldiers stared at their lord in confusion but did as ordered. Sesshoumaru turned away and returned to the tent where Hana and the others sat, wondering what all the fuss was about. Nobunaga returned moments later.

The ground trembled slightly as a large cat and a Ryuuyoukai touched down on the ground. Their riders dismounted and the Ryuuyoukai was obscured by wind and reappeared as a boy. The fire cat shrank until it was about the size of a kitten.

The newcomers, the soldiers could see, were four children and two adults, a taijiya and a monk.

"So which way do we go?" The boy who had just transformed from being a dragon asked.

"We've got to find the main tent!" said the other boy.

The boy sniffed at the air and then he motioned the others to follow him. Together the children ran for the tent that Nobunaga and Sesshoumaru entered moments before.

A chorus of Mei Lhi, Kyo, Kagome, and Inuyasha's voices shouting "What the hell are you doing here?" met the children's ears.

Sango and Miroku entered the tent a few moments later, Kirara sitting on her master's shoulder.

"We sent you home to go to school!" Kagome exclaimed angrily. "So you wouldn't get hurt!"

"Screw that!" Aijii retorted hotly. "We came to help!"

"Baka! We sent you home for your own safety!" Inuyasha snapped at his son. "Let the adults worry about fighting!"

"Yeah well the adults seemed to have missed a crucial point on this battle!" Aijii continued, now rounding on his father.

"And what's that?" Kagome glowered.

"Guns! The Takeda clan is using guns!"

"How do you know this?" Nobunaga interrupted.

Aijii beamed and reached into his pack and pulled out his history text book and opened it to the correct page. The adults gathered around the book and read a section that Aijii had highlighted.

"Where did you get this?" Nobunaga asked, gesturing at the book. "How can it know this country's history when it has yet to happen?"

The boy visibly sweat dropped. "Uhh…no time to explain!" he said suddenly, snatching the book back and hurriedly stuffing it into his bag.

Aijii turned to his best friend, hoping to get some back up, only to find him and his younger sister being lectured.

"How'd you all get here?" Kyo asked.

"Flew," Kago replied. His father stared at him pointedly. "I transformed, like you do, Chichiue."

Mei Lhi slapped a hand to her forehead. "That was incredibly reckless! Something could've gone wrong and you all would've fallen to your deaths! Do you have any idea how dangerous what you did was?" She said vehemently.

"But Yuri-chan believed in me and I trusted her and I was able to do it!"

"Just because Yuri-chan thinks you can do it doesn't mean you can!" His mother went on.

"But I did anyway!" Kago retorted, his voice rising slightly. "It worked didn't it? We're all fine! It's not we came alone anyway! We asked Miroku and Sango to tag along! So if anything went wrong we'd be alright!"

All the adults in the room suddenly seemed to notice that the taijiya and monk were there. The pair waved at their friends, feeling awkward. Kagome, Inuyasha, Mei Lhi, and Kyo suddenly shared a knowing look between them, and then promptly turned to their children.

"You're all going straight home this instant." Kagome said at once.

"Hell no!" Aijii growled.

"Not after all this!" Satsu protested.

"After we flew all this way!" Kago went on.

"Not when we can still help…" Yuri added in a small voice.

The four adults who had been preparing a defense against their children's protests suddenly froze with surprise. Yuri never protested against anything. It was the first time that she'd actually refused to do as she was told.

"Even though we're still young, we can still help out," Yuri continued. "That's why everyone went through all that training isn't it? So we could all be prepared?"

"Yeah, that's right!" Kago exclaimed. "We went through the same training."

"We're just as prepared to fight as anyone else is!" Aijii declared defiantly.

"The others are right!" Satsu said. "We're not going home! We're soldiers too!"

The adults sighed and at last gave in. It was quite obvious that no matter what approach they tried, the kids would still stubbornly insist to stay.

At that very same moment a familiar jumping noise was heard.

"Gamyou! Gamyou!" came a voice.

Several heads turned and saw Myouga the Flea bouncing toward them.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! I bring news from Rin-sama and Shippou-sama!" The flea announced and for the first time in the flea's life, didn't bounce up to suck blood like he usually did. Whatever the message was it had to be important.

The taiyoukai stared down at the flea, waiting for him to continue.

"Rin-sama and Shippou-sama wish me to tell you that not long ago a Torayoukai came to the Western Lands bringing news from the daughter of the Neko no Taisho. The Torayoukai messenger told Rin-sama and Shippou-sama that the Neko no Taisho plans to attack the Western Lands while attacking Nagashino Castle. Rin-sama wishes me to inform you that she's ensured that the West is secured and ready for attack. She's called upon the Yamainu clan and Ryouji-sama and Megumi-sama to help secure the castle in the army's absence and she waits for your orders." The flea said.

Sesshoumaru stared at the flea and let the new information sink in before answering. "Tell Rin to do nothing yet, but make sure that everyone is on guard. A surprise attack is exactly the sort of thing the Neko no Taisho would plan." He replied in a level voice.

Myouga nodded and immediately took off.

-

It had been three days. Zetsuei finally found the eastern forces. They were halfway between the East and their destination. They would arrive in Nagashino within another three day's march or less.

The Torayoukai looked around at the army and saw that the ningen troops marched with Takeda Katsuyori, armed with katana at their hips and guns slung across their backs. The Torayoukai soldiers, his kin, all marched with the Tora no Taisho. Zetsuei made certain to stay as far away from the Tora clan head in order to avoid being caught. Then finally he saw the two he was looking for, marching along towards the back of the procession.

Masashi and Harukichi seemed to be in deep conversation with one another. Curious, Zetsuei moved closer, but could hear nothing over the clanking of thousands of armored men moving in formation. Instead he tried to read the lips of the two men.

"This army is ill-prepared, even with your replacements." Harukichi said.

"I'm well aware of that fact, Harukichi-sama." Masashi replied.

"This complicates our plans. I feel an alteration is in order."

"What sort of alteration do you suggest?"

Harukichi began to speak at length and Zetsuei found himself concentrating much more than usual so as to ensure he didn't miss a single word.

"Seeing as our forces are full of fools that are hardly battle-ready, the ningen troops will be wiped out immediately. Whether they're useful or not, we'll need the strength in numbers in order to face our enemies. What we should try to do is have Sesshoumaru break off his army to send forces to guard the Western Lands. Perhaps we can afford to leak a bit of intelligence of the attack to them and make it appear to Sesshoumaru that in order to secure his homeland, sending troops back is essential. If we can get Sesshoumaru to send enough soldiers home, we'll have enough forces to overwhelm him and proceed with the original plan. The first wave is your disguised guards. The element of surprise in this fight is key. But it's crucial to keep the first wave a secret. It's only twenty men, but it's enough to cause confusion. Sesshoumaru will have no choice but to kill the other guards as a precaution. Then we can proceed with the second wave, the youkai hordes that will target only the royal family. This will keep the others busy. In the third wave, we'll take out the boy, Tsurugi. Then the swordsmen will have long since rushed into all the fighting. Everything will fall into place after that."

"Hai, I see what you mean. Sesshoumaru will be cornered. He'll be unable to flee to the West, where it is being overrun with youkai and he'll be unable to fight forward with our armies in the way. Harukichi-sama, your plans get even better as you go along."

Harukichi smirked. "So when exactly should we plan for all of this to begin?"

Masashi turned to the San Ryuu. "I hope to start the actual siege at Nagashino at dawn on the day we arrive, which should be in three days, but the attack on the West can happen during the night, when all are asleep, just mere hours before the true battle commences."

"You become much more cunning as you go along, Masashi-san."

"Hai, I suppose I do…"

Zetsuei had what he'd come for. He ran as quickly as he could, back to Kyoto. It would take him at least two days to get back. He couldn't afford any time lost to resting. He would run until he made it back.

-

Meanwhile in Kyoto, Mizumi and Tsukimisou were walking around the city streets, hoping to catch some inkling of Zetsuei's return, and at the same time, were seeing the sights. Reika and Toji had asked for the two girls to leave them alone.

'_No wonder why…_' Tsukimisou thought sarcastically.

Mizumi yawned as they walked, scratching a spot behind her ears. Tsukimisou sighed. A pair of blue eyes swiveled in the Inuyoukai girl's direction.

"What's wrong?" Mizumi asked.

"I'm worried about Tsu-chan," The girl replied.

Tsurugi wasn't the only one on her mind. Mizumi seemed to notice this too.

"You're wondering what's up with Reika-san, ne? From what I observed, the two of you are quite close, but now you feel cast to the side now, don't you?"

"Sort of. I mean, I understand that Toji-san and Reika-chan haven't seen each other in a very long time, but at the same time, I don't want to be left out as she has been doing."

Mizumi sighed. "Did you ever stop to think that those two are probably doing what mated couples that haven't seen each other in a long time do?" She asked.

Tsukimisou's face flushed slightly. "I considered that and it would most definitely explain why they're not around, or why they don't want us around either."

The Nekoyoukai girl grinned triumphantly. "Well, there you have it! That's what they're up to!" She said.

"But that can't be _all_ they do together! Isn't there more to love than just…?"

Tsukimisou broke off, unable to bring herself to say "mating". Mizumi smiled and patted her on the head.

"Awww, you're so innocent." The Nekoyoukai cooed lightly.

The Inuyoukai girl said nothing, Mizumi laughed lightly.

The pair kept walking onward, awaiting Zetsuei's return.

-

"This is how we met," Toji began, holding Reika tighter.

The pair was in a surprisingly empty hot spring enjoying the water.

"Hai," Reika replied from where she rested, leaning her head against her beloved's chest. "You snuck up on me in a bath and didn't want to leave me alone."

Toji laughed. "Well, it's a good thing I didn't leave you alone now isn't it? Persistence can be good." He said lightly.

Reika smiled. "Yes, I suppose it can. Apparently it paid off in the end." She agreed.

The two fell silent, the only sounds heard was the occasional drip of water and the pair's breathing.

"Ne, Reika," Toji said, sounding hesitant.

She turned her head to look at him. "Yes?" she asked.

"Back in the North, you said that now we could live the life we were meant to have together,"

Reika nodded.

"What do you want in the future?" He asked finally.

The Spirit of Anti-Life didn't answer right away. She took a moment to think. What did she want? No one had asked her that question before.

"Well," she began slowly. "I've only ever wanted to live a normal life, but all that has been impossible because of what I am. I had always wanted to…" she broke off and her face flushed lightly before continuing. "I had always wanted to get married and…if it could be possible, to start a family and have children of my own," Her eyes began to brim with tears. "But that's an impossible dream. Any children I might've had would die before they could be born."

Toji was surprised at how normal Reika's plans were. They were such simple goals. The same goals anyone would want. He held her closer as she choked back sobs.

"What about you, Toji? What do you want in the future?" She asked once she had composed herself.

"I also want what you want. I've wanted to marry and have children just as you do. But I also want to make you happy," He answered.

Reika turned around to face him completely, staring at him in surprise. Toji took her hand and looked her directly in the eyes.

"Marry me," He said.

The Spirit of the Anti-Life's eyes widened slightly. "What?" She asked, stunned.

"Marry me, Reika." Toji repeated.

In an instant later, Reika threw her arms around him, still in disbelief as to what she had just heard.

"I will happily become your wife, Toji," She whispered. The woman paused before continuing. "I just wish all our plans could be just as easily possible as this, but they aren't."

Toji looked at her again and raised her head so that she was looking directly at him. "We'll work together to make that dream come true. I'll do whatever I can in my power to protect the child from your element, as long as you promise to do the same. I promise you, one day we will have children to call our own," He paused then grinned devilishly. "Want to get started on trying?"

Reika's face flushed crimson with embarrassment, then shyly she nodded.

-

Two days passed and finally Zetsuei returned.

"What's my father planning now?" Mizumi asked instantly.

"The siege on the West will begin tonight. Your father hopes to divide Sesshoumaru's army. But Sesshoumaru must not do so at all costs. I have other information, but there's no time to share it if I hope to make it to the West in time to deliver the message." The Torayoukai replied.

"Go to the West and tell them everything you heard," Tsukimisou said. "Tell them you come on Mizumi's behalf and make sure all the crucial news goes through. We'll meet at Nagashino."

Zetsuei nodded and again, he vanished.

"What will we do now?" Tsukimisou asked worriedly. "There isn't enough time."

"Toji and I will help secure the West," Reika answered. "You, Mizumi, and Zetsuei will go to Nagashino and help Sesshoumaru and Nobunaga. When the Western Lands are secure, Toji and I will come back to help you."

"Both you and Mizumi will leave when we leave for the West. Don't join in the fighting until Zetsuei returns," Toji instructed. "Zetsuei has valuable information left to share. It'd be best to be armed with his knowledge before rushing into the fray."

The two girls nodded.

"I need a weapon." Mizumi said seriously.

"Then I suggest that you two get yourselves prepared for battle." Reika replied.

-

Hours passed by so fast that time seemed a blur. Reika's eyes opened. She foresaw the deaths of hundreds.

"It's time," she said.

Toji stood and nodded. Reika stood as well and turned to the girls. "It's time for you two to head out as well."

The Nekoyoukai and Inuyoukai nodded. Mizumi grabbed her new sword and Tsukimisou tucked her pack of medicinal herbs into her obi. Seeing that the girls were ready, both Toji and Reika gave a curt nod of satisfaction and in a swirl of ashes and a slowly falling white feather, they disappeared.

Mizumi and Tsukimisou left the room and headed outside and ran for Nagashino.

-

The night was so dark that even the lit torches did little to illuminate the black night. So it was even more alarming to see a two headed Ryuuyoukai with a small toad youkai as its passenger suddenly fall from the sky.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" yelled Jaken.

The taiyoukai approached his underling, looking at the youkai curiously.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, the Torayoukai informant sent on Mizumi-sama's behalf returned to the West and said that the Neko no Taisho is going to commence the attack on our lands tonight! He said that the Neko no Taisho hopes you will divide your army, but urges you not to split the forces because the enemy hopes to overtake us by being outnumbered in the battle ahead. He said that the enemy's attack will consist of three waves. The first wave, the informant said he'll deal with, we need to focus on the second and third waves which will target all who have your honored father's blood and finally result in the death of Tsurugi-sama." Jaken said urgently.

"I understand, Jaken. Is there anything else?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Hai! Rin said that an anonymous informant stopped by the palace shortly after the Torayoukai and said more or less the same news as this informant of Mizumi-sama's, but said that the youkai attacking would be large forces of Neko, Tora, and Ryuuyoukai. But if what Mizumi-sama's informant said is true, then Rin believes that this is the enemy's trick to try and get you to break up the units."

The taiyoukai nodded. "Keep me informed on the situation in the West. The armies will stay here."

Jaken began to mount Aun again, only for one of Shippou's acorns to appear.

"We're under attack!" The acorn wailed. "We're under attack! We're under attack!"

The acorn vanished seconds later. Sesshoumaru looked to Jaken.

"Go immediately to the West, provide whatever aid you can." The taiyoukai instructed.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

-

Reika and Toji arrived in the West, the sounds of fighting all around them.

Wolves were everywhere, attacking the youkai horde that had arrived. A group of enemies began to move towards the pair of Jyuu rank Ryuuyoukai, only to be cut down by a long sword.

Ryouji looked up in surprise at the two newcomers. His shock didn't last long as another few youkai decided to sneak up on him while his back was turned. Nearby, the earth split open and swallowed several enemy youkai whole and trees ran amok attacking as they went.

"Looks like fresh meat to me!" A nearby youkai jeered, his eyes on Reika.

Toji's eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about it." He said, his voice hard.

The Spirit of Life raised his hand at the youkai and a bright light sped to his open palm. The youkai fell dead.

"Bastard! I'll kill you!" A second youkai roared.

"That's not going to happen either!" Reika hissed angrily, rushing out to the youkai, a dark aura around her hands.

The moment she touched the youkai he fell over limp and lifeless.

A massive flood of more youkai came between the two, the flood split, one group surrounded Toji, while the other surrounded Reika.

"Little girly come to play?" A lizard youkai taunted.

"Oh your pretty face will be in bits." A snake youkai said with a smirk.

"With fodder like this, the West will be ours before dawn." Said another.

"I'm afraid you're all mistaken," Reika said, a smile playing at her lips as she watched as the group surrounding her began to struggle for breath. "The West belongs to the Inu clan!" she yelled.

At once the entire group fell over dead. Beside her, Reika saw a bright white light suddenly engulf the rest of the youkai. When the light faded, the youkai were on the ground and Toji stood in the middle. He turned and flashed a grin at the Spirit of the Anti-Life, who grinned back.

The fighting went on through the night, every once in a while, Reika and Toji found Shippou and Rin in the fray and helped get rid of the youkai, or were joined by Ryouji and Megumi, where sandstorms and vines that had an uncanny habit of suffocating those snared by them seemed to occur out of nowhere when they were around. Jaken arrived later, and the occasional wall of flames soon joined the sandstorms, asphyxiating vines, and the other strange blasts of light from Aun.

Hours passed and at last the Western Lands were secured.

-

Dawn broke and a cry of "The enemy is here!" rang in the morning air.

As orders were being given for soldiers to get into formation, Shippou and Rin arrived on Aun while Ryouji and Megumi materialized in a cloud of sand and a shower of leaves. Sesshoumaru looked at them all with mild interest. Hana approached them instantly.

"What's the status?" The miko-youkai asked.

"The West is secure," Shippou replied. "Jaken and the guards can handle anything else. We have the help of some old friends on our side."

"We figured we could lend you all a hand out here." Rin said.

Hana nodded. "We'll be happy to have you." She said.

Sesshoumaru looked to the horizon and saw the soldiers of the Eastern Lands marching into formation. The taiyoukai gave an almost unnoticed sigh.

"It is time."

* * *

**A/N:** Whoa I finished this one in one day! I know you hate cliffies. I'm sorry. Well, it's time for me to go to sleep. Then I'll start Ch 15 tomorrow morning (August 30). Ja ne until next time and don't forget to review! XD 


	15. The Battle of Nagashino

**A/N:** Here's the big fight! Well, one of the big fights. XD To do the disclaimer is um…Rin!

Rin: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or the characters Ichitani Mizumi, Zetsuei, Miseru, Ikarisu, and Kyoriko. She owns her plot, her characters, and her stories. Everything else belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Kishimoto Masashi, Arthur Golden, Carrie, A.J., and to anyone else who owns anything that isn't Aki's. So here's the long-awaited chapter 15!

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: The Battle of Nagashino

Masashi immediately looked to the Western forces and to his great misfortune, he found that all of Sesshoumaru's men were present and accounted for. His plan to split the army failed. The Neko no Taisho soon found his temper rising dangerously close to the surface.

"Masashi-sama, orders?" His first lieutenant asked.

"Take us to the battlefield. On my command, give the signal for the first wave." Masashi replied, straining to keep himself calm.

"Hai, it will be done milord!"

The lieutenant began shouting orders and the armies began to move forward. On the other side he could see the enemy approaching as well. Masashi's gaze was drawn to Sesshoumaru, who was staring straight back at him. The two shared malevolent and hate-filled glares.

'_Today we settle this. Today is the day that this rivalry ends…the moment I kill you, Sesshoumaru._'

The Neko no Taisho turned and walked away, rejoining his army as they marched on.

-

Mizumi and Tsukimisou arrived and watched as the armies of East and West began to march toward one another.

A rustling caught their attention and Zetsuei landed beside them.

"The Neko no Taisho attacks in three waves. The first wave consists of youkai disguised as the castle guards. I will handle them. The second wave involves eastern youkai attacking the royal family. You both should help protect the others. The third wave is a direct attack on Tsurugi while the others are occupied fighting off the youkai. By this point the armies will have long since begun to battle one another. Masashi-sama hopes to kill Tsurugi in the midst of the chaos." The Torayoukai explained.

The two girls nodded in understanding, the three of them watching the events on the field unfold.

The two armies came to a halt and a yell of "Ready arms!" rang out in the crisp morning air. The sound of thousands of swords unsheathing, the blades singing as they left their sheaths, echoed and reechoed across the battlefield.

Then silence. The tension and anticipation grew thicker as the seconds ticked away.

Mizumi found her father in the mass of soldiers and signaled to his second in command.

"That's the order for the charge!" The Nekoyoukai girl said suddenly.

The second in command shouted something at one of the youkai carrying the Nekoyoukai banner. The youkai set the banner down and pulled out a different flag and waved it towards the castle.

"That's my cue to leave." Zetsuei said.

And without another word, he vanished.

-

"COMMENCE ATTACK!" Masashi's voice roared.

The castle doors opened and guards of the castle began to pour out and several tore off their helmets, revealing that they were youkai in disguise. The disguised guards began to rush toward the West's army, only to stop in mid-charge as one by one their companions fell.

Zetsuei's form finally stopped moving and he stood in the middle of the field, surrounded by the dead bodies of the disguised guards.

"You!" The Tora no Taisho roared, outraged. "You did this! You DARE betray us?"

The Torayoukai assassin nodded.

"Kill him! Kill that double-crossing scum!"

The soldiers advanced toward him and raised their swords, only to fall to the ground. From behind him, Zetsuei saw the Lady of the West commanding the archery units.

"Ready, aim, fire!" Hana yelled out.

A volley of arrows took down the second line of soldiers. From somewhere else, the charge was sounded and the sword units from both sides rushed forward and attacked.

The Battle of Nagashino had just begun.

-

"SECOND WAVE, ATTACK!" Masashi roared, his temper still rising.

His battle plan was slowly unraveling. He had to regain his senses and hope to come up with some better alternatives as the battle wore on.

At his order, youkai of all types flew out of the surrounding trees and headed for the center of the West's forces. Masashi smirked.

"Your death is imminent, Sesshoumaru. By this time tomorrow, I will have your head."

-

"Sesshoumaru-sama! It's as the informant said! The second wave!" One of Nobunaga's generals yelled.

The taiyoukai nodded and drew his sword at last. The youkai came and headed towards him first. Sesshoumaru cut through each one, youkai after youkai.

It was then he had finally noticed a youkai behind him. It was already too late to dodge completely. Then a poison whip very much like his own shot out and wrapped around the youkai and tore it asunder. The taiyoukai turned to thank his savior, guessing it would be Tsurugi, but what he didn't expect was to lock eyes with a girl of about seventeen that looked remarkably like him.

"You missed one, Chichiue." She said with a smile.

Then she was gone. Sesshoumaru cleared his head of the thousands of questions that had suddenly sprung up in his mind. He was in the middle of the battle. He had no time to ponder if he had really seen his supposed dead daughter or if she was a mere hallucination.

In any case, Tsukimisou was watching over them all.

-

Tsurugi soon found himself surrounded by enemy youkai. He sighed.

"Alright, who wants to be first?" he asked wearily.

As one the youkai charged toward him and Tsurugi tensed, parrying the blow from a Nekoyoukai spearman, and then slashing under the guard of a Torayoukai swordsman, dodging a shot from one of the ningen rifle bearers. The Taisho heir turned, slicing through one of the enemy's swords and its wielder, with his poison whip he took care of the enemies behind him, and with a final killing sweep the last of the youkai fell dead.

The boy took a second to catch his breath and saw a Nekoyoukai girl around his age battling a huge snake youkai. Tsurugi was suddenly confused. Weren't the Nekoyoukai the enemy? Then one of the girl's bangles caught his eye. They bore the Neko no Taisho's crest. Perhaps this was his daughter? The girl that had been sending them warnings through the informant that kept showing up at the West?

'_She must be._' Tsurugi thought. '_It's the only logical explanation._'

The girl leapt to the side to avoid the snake youkai's jaws. But then the youkai had caught her off guard and the snake's venomous fangs sank into her arm. She fell, bleeding and grinding her teeth against the pain.

Tsurugi reacted without thinking. He rushed over, his claws glowing green and charged the youkai, taking a swipe at the snake with his poisoned claws.

"Dokkasou!" he yelled.

The snake youkai hissed bitterly and turned towards him. Tsurugi was ready and with god-like speed, he thrust his katana into the snake's belly and wrenched the blade upwards, before lobbing off the youkai's head with a horizontal pass of his sword. The youkai's headless body toppled over and lay still.

Tsurugi approached the Nekoyoukai girl and helped her to her feet. She thanked him and picked up her weapon before quickly rushing back into the heat of battle. The Taisho heir turned away and found himself again crossing blades with more youkai.

-

Mei Lhi paused to rest. She felt like she had been killing youkai for hours. The hanyou gave her sword arm a brief shake to ease the tension in her muscles and flexed her fingers and turned in time to cut down a youkai attacker.

The air suddenly became thick with murderous intent. She saw a dozen of Nobunaga and Sesshoumaru's soldiers surround a tall Ryuuyoukai with dark hair and cold orange eyes, but all of them were dead before the hanyou could blink.

Harukichi spotted her, his face bearing a broad smirk. Mei Lhi gripped Tetsusage firmly, a determined look set on her features. Then he charged.

_CLANG!_

She blocked, straining to hold back the San Ryuu's sword. Harukichi pushed his blade forward and knocked the hanyou into the air. Mei Lhi growled and regained her equilibrium, managing to land on her feet. Harukichi took quick swipes at her again, the woman barely able to block as each attack came faster and faster and became even more unpredictable.

The San Ryuu's sword slipped under her guard and slashed her shoulder. Harukichi turned the sword around and thrust the dull edge into the hanyou's stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

Mei Lhi struggled to catch her breath and regain her footing. She felt the oncoming blow, the one that would undoubtedly finish her. She struggled to raise her sword to guard against it, only to find that she didn't have to.

A swirl of ashes ascended before her and Harukichi's sword passed through Reika who began to bleed and didn't seem to notice.

"Sorry Mei-chan, I didn't mean to keep you waiting." The Spirit of the Anti-Life said with a small smile.

"You're supposed to be dead!" Harukichi growled.

"I am dead," Reika replied. "That's what Anti-Life is."

Harukichi roared in anger and charged at the woman, his blade poised to take off her head. His sword passed through her neck and to his amazement and his fury, the wound healed instantly.

"That won't work, Harukichi," The Spirit of the Anti-Life said. "I'm immune to all types of death. Decapitation just so happens to fall in that category. Try again."

Reika stood still as Harukichi continued to try and hack away at her. The Spirit of Anti-Life would bleed for a few seconds and her wounds would heal.

"I could stand here all day. It won't make a difference," She said as Harukichi tried to cut her in half. Her hands became surrounded with a dark glowing aura, her face now contorted in anger. "When will you idiots learn that you can't kill what's already dead?" she ground out, each syllable growing louder as her anger mounted.

She charged and reached out to touch him. Harukichi looked to the sky and the sun rose, the rays of light shining brightly. The San Ryuu had won. Or so he thought.

"I'm immune to sunlight now. You can't pull the same trick twice." Reika said, completely unaffected by the light.

Harukichi smirked and blinding bright beams of light fell directly on the Spirit of Anti-Life. Reika hissed slightly as the light began to burn her skin. The beams grew brighter and brighter, Reika strained to see through the light.

A tree suddenly grew out of nowhere and shielded her from the light. A storm of sand blocked out the remaining rays.

"I'll take over from here, Reika." Ryouji said, his own sword drawn.

The Spirit of Anti-Life nodded and noticed her injuries were quite severe. Megumi rushed over and immediately began to dress them.

A pure white feather floated down in front of her.

"Toji, don't worry about me. Help Mei-chan," She said automatically.

The Spirit of Life nodded once he had appeared, a white glowing aura surrounding his hand. He helped Mei Lhi to her feet and touched the hanyou's shoulder. The wound healed instantly and her body was surrounded by a white glow.

"Some extra protection for you," Toji explained at Mei Lhi's confused look.

Once Reika had been properly bandaged up, she, along with Toji, disappeared. Megumi rushed to help her mate with his fight; vines began to shoot from the ground, binding the San Ryuu's legs, preventing him from fleeing.

Mei Lhi took her friend's departure as a hint and quickly rushed off to continue to fight.

-

Aijii and Kago valiantly charged in to fight, swords drawn and spirits high. A group of Nekoyoukai soldiers saw the two boys and began to laugh.

"Look, a pair of lost cubs!" said one.

"Perhaps we can help them find their mommies and daddies…" said another.

"Yeah, in the depths of hell!"

With a roar they charged, Aijii and Kago stood back to back, covering one another's blind spots. The boys attacked and blocked the Nekoyoukai as each attacked.

Then one got lucky and stabbed Aijii in the side. The boy fell against his friend, who helped him back to his feet. Then the boys noticed it. A small pink glass ball lay in the dirt, lightly covered with some of Aijii's blood. The Nekoyoukai paused in mid-strike, all of them smirking devilishly.

"The Shikon no Tama!" They roared in excitement.

Kago was closest and he grabbed the small jewel faster than any of the others could blink. The enraged Nekoyoukai began to attack the Inu-Ryuu boy.

"Give us the jewel, brat!"

"Never!" Kago yelled.

"Then die!"

"That's not happening while I'm around!" Aijii yelled, raising his sword. "Kaze no Kizu!"

Kago quickly leapt to the side as the bewildered Nekoyoukai were obliterated.

"Nice one, Aijii!" The Inu-Ryuu boy said proudly, giving his friend a pat on the back.

"Thanks, I'm here 'till Thursday!" Aijii joked.

Now that the Shikon no Tama was out of Aijii's body, many more youkai suddenly became aware of its presence.

"Oh shit." Both boys said in unison as a mob of forty or more youkai were headed towards them.

"We're really fucked now," Aijii said, stating the obvious.

"I'll see you on the other side, friend." Kago replied.

"Kongousouha!" yelled a very familiar voice.

Diamond shards flew everywhere and the youkai mob found themselves quickly defeated. Inuyasha rushed over to the boys, Tetsusaiga in his grip.

"Oi, daijoubu desu ka?" he asked them.

"Hai, we're fine!" Aijii answered.

Inuyasha spotted the jewel, still in Kago's hand. "Aijii, take the Shikon no Tama and get out of here. Find your mother; she'll know what to do." The hanyou said.

Kago handed his friend the Jewel of Four Souls at once. "Go on, before they come back!" He said.

"Screw that, I'm not going alone! You're coming with me!" Aijii protested, dragging his best friend along for the ride.

Inuyasha couldn't help but smile slightly at their actions. To think that such pure things as friendship and laughter could exist in such a place full of darkness and corruption and death was quite a mystery indeed.

-

Mizumi jumped high and dodged two youkai that had tried to charge her at the same time from opposite directions. The youkai smacked together with a sickening crunch and did not move. She moved quickly and deliberately tried to avoid as much combat as possible. If either her father or Harukichi found her on the battlefield, there'd be hell to pay.

The Nekoyoukai girl sliced at a Torayoukai who had appeared in her path. He fell and stayed down. Another youkai leapt at her from behind, pinning her to the ground. Growling bitterly, Mizumi kneed the youkai in the groin and promptly stabbed him in the chest before kicking him off her.

A loud roar sounded in front of her and she saw a massive youkai made of rock attacking a boy who looked remarkably like Sesshoumaru. It was the very same boy that had saved her from the snake youkai earlier.

The boy seemed to be having slight difficulty finishing the youkai off. Although his poison claws did melt the youkai's body, it wasn't enough to finish him. Mizumi sighed.

'_I'd best return the favor._' She thought before rushing forward to help.

The youkai raised a massive fist and knocked the boy off balance, sending him crashing into the ground. Mizumi skidded to a halt before the rock youkai and helped the boy to his feet.

"We'll work together," The Nekoyoukai girl said to the boy. "If we do a double attack at that same spot where the poison melted his body, we should be able to take him down."

The boy nodded. Mizumi rushed forward and raised her sword, the boy seconds behind her. The Nekoyoukai girl struck with the sharp edge with all her might and quickly jumped to the side as the Inuyoukai boy came up behind her with a follow-up attack.

The rock youkai groaned and then his body began to crack and small pebbles started breaking off until finally his entire body fell apart.

"Thanks," said the boy. "I'm Tsurugi by the way." He continued, extending a hand in greeting.

Mizumi shook his hand. "I'm Mizumi, nice to meet you." She replied.

The boy, Tsurugi, ran off as he saw several youkai charging to attack his father, who was already busy battling a dozen youkai at once. The Nekoyoukai girl turned away and then froze as she saw who stood before her.

Her father was walking towards her, a furious expression on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Masashi asked hatefully.

"Fighting." Mizumi replied defiantly, with as much courage as she could muster.

Masashi growled, pulling out his naginata. "You traitorous little bitch!" He roared.

He lifted the halberd over his head and brought it down with amazing agility. The blade of the weapon struck true, leaving the Nekoyoukai girl with a diagonal slash across the chest.

"My own daughter! How dare you!" The Neko no Taisho continued to rant angrily, still swinging his weapon wildly about.

Mizumi struggled to block the massive weapon, but every time she did so, the blade of her sword would vibrate uncomfortably from the impact of the naginata against it. Masashi swung the weapon again; the Nekoyoukai girl got slashed across her stomach. Luckily she had just barely been within the halberd's reach, so the wound was shallow.

She tried to run, only to have her father chase after her and knock her feet from under her. Mizumi fell to the ground but was lifted again. She found herself lying on the wooden shaft of her father's naginata. He spun rapidly and tossed her off. The Nekoyoukai girl hit the ground hard, hissing with pain as the landing had caused her wounds greater injury and they began to bleed more.

Masashi stood over her, preparing to deliver the final blow. A poison whip shot out and snapped the naginata in half.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Tsurugi yelled.

The Neko no Taisho smirked broadly.

"No," Mizumi moaned. "Run!" she screamed out.

The Nekoyoukai girl forced herself to her feet even though her body screamed in protest. Masashi had picked up a spear from a dead soldier on the ground and then he and Tsurugi began to fight.

Her father knocked Tsurugi down; a small wrapped package fell out of his haori as he crashed onto the ground. The boy didn't notice, far too occupied with parrying the spear's attacks which seemed to come from virtually every angle. Eventually the boy made it back on his feet and was able to slip a quick couple of slashes under Masashi's guard.

Enraged beyond all reason, the Neko no Taisho began attacking faster and more viciously than ever. Mizumi ran toward Tsurugi, recognizing the technique as one of her father's deadliest moves. She pushed the boy down to the ground and felt the spear head stab through her instead. Masashi growled and yanked the spear out, backhanding his daughter across the face.

Mizumi hit the ground and couldn't get back up. Tsurugi was up on his feet and blocking and guarding against the Neko no Taisho as best he could. Mizumi watched in horror as one of her father's fatal blows slipped under the boy's guard.

The attack was parried by a second sword, its wielder, Sesshoumaru.

"Tsurugi," The taiyoukai said.

"Hai?" The boy asked.

"Look after the girl and take her to Hana-chan."

Tsurugi nodded and Mizumi watched as he approached her, picking up the wrapped package that had fallen out of his clothes from the floor. He opened it and Mizumi saw that it was a package of herbs and other remedies.

"Mizumi, right?" he asked tentatively.

The Nekoyoukai girl nodded in response.

"Okay, well you've lost a lot of blood and it'd be bad if you lost any more," He said, pulling out some bandages and sprinkling some sort of herb on them. "It'll help the blood clot faster." He explained as he quickly dressed her wounds.

The sounds of blades clanging caught Mizumi's attention and she saw Sesshoumaru and her father moving so fast that all you could see were sparks as their blades made contact. Then the clanging stopped and Masashi fell.

"Father!" Mizumi screamed.

Tsurugi looked over his shoulder absentmindedly. "He's not dead, if you're worried about him," he said.

The Nekoyoukai girl growled. "I wish he was." She muttered darkly. "Serve him right…"

To her great surprise, the Neko no Taisho got back up.

"I will not lose to you!" He roared, charging again at Sesshoumaru.

The taiyoukai delivered the finishing blow without even flinching. Nekoyoukai soldiers nearby began to yell.

"Masashi-sama has fallen! Fall back!" They began to yell.

"What's all this nonsense?" came another familiar voice. "You'll do no such thing! Fight to the last man, that's an order!"

Mizumi looked up and saw Harukichi coming closer. She growled as he approached. The Nekoyoukai began to look around frantically for a weapon when her eyes fell again on Tsurugi's pack of herbs. There was a smaller package inside labeled 'Mandrake beads'. She snatched up the package and found that pure rage was manipulating her movements.

"Mizumi, I've missed you!" Harukichi said in a kind voice.

The Nekoyoukai glowered at him, reaching into the package and grabbed a handful of scented beads. She tossed them directly at the San Ryuu. The beads burst open, unleashing powdered mandrake in a vapor form. The effect was immediate. Harukichi fell to his knees and spat out blood. Growling he forced himself to his feet and backed away, holding his breath. He retreated immediately.

-

Tsukimisou sighed as more youkai appeared. The masses of enemies seemed to never end. She sliced through them with a pass of her poison whip, which she then discovered had purification powers as well when a youkai began to howl in agony before vanishing into bright blue light.

It was a truly horrifying sight to witness. Tsukimisou hoped from then on that she'd never die via purification. It looked tremendously painful.

The girl looked around and saw a massive youkai wielding a great sword that was as long as she was tall and as wide as a wagon wheel. The youkai spotted her and smirked. He charged, Tsukimisou raised her whip, flicking her wrist as her whip slashed at the youkai.

The youkai grinned sadistically, reaching into his haori and breaking a bottle of herbs against his sword, spreading it across the blade. The scent of the herb reached Tsukimisou's nose and at once she realized it was belladonna. Her shock must've shown on her face, for the youkai's grin widened.

Tsukimisou knew that she couldn't afford to be hit with that sword, otherwise she'd die. She gulped and quickly pushed down her fears. The youkai charged and attacked. The poison whip sparked with miko energy and grazed the youkai. He growled, raising his sword to strike.

The Inuyoukai girl bent over backwards, having perfect muscle control thanks to all those years of dance in the hanamachi. She easily dodged the sword and righted herself, the blade singing near her ear. Her magnified hearing told her that the sword had just cut some of her hair off. Tsukimisou thought nothing of it then she felt her body freeze. She lifted a hand to her neck and saw blood had stained her hand.

A dark blur appeared and the youkai's head went rolling. Zetsuei sheathed his kodachi and lifted the now paralyzed Tsukimisou and carried her away.

She fought to stay conscious, but it was a losing battle. Her vision blurred and everything went dark.

-

"Shounetsujigoku!" Kyo and Ryouji yelled, sending the burning sand at the attacking Neko and Torayoukai, a few unfortunate ningen rifle bearers getting caught in the inferno.

Nearby, Megumi's asphyxiating roots were at work, every now and then a group of soldiers would get buried alive or eaten by trees.

The kaze ryuu turned behind him where Yuri stood blindfolded so she wouldn't have to look at all the blood. Kyo had to admit, the girl was doing quite well, even though she couldn't see anything. However, it involved a lot of extra hard work on Kyo's part, making sure that the wind blew away from Yuri so she wouldn't sense it, plus, he had to often move her out of the way or force the wind to blow away from her to protect her from being showered with the crimson substance. He sighed, dragging Yuri to the side as a soldier nearby was struck in the throat, blood pouring out of him like a nightmarish fountain.

Kyo turned and noticed a lot of smoke in the air.

"Be careful," Came his father's voice. "The enemy may be using something lethal to us."

The kaze no ryuu nodded.

A cloud of smoke erupted nearby Megumi who coughed and staggered away. "Mandrake powder!" she gasped. "Scented beads filled with vaporized mandrake powder!"

Yuri looked alarmed, she took off the blindfold, finding herself staring at her father's back.

"Yuri-chan, don't breathe." Her father said as another bead landed in front of them.

Kyo turned and reached into his haori and pulled out a mask much like the one Sango wore and tied it securely over his daughter's nose and mouth.

"Chichiue! What about you?" Yuri protested.

"I'll be fine; don't worry about me, ne?" Her father answered with a smile.

Megumi fell over into a dead faint, Ryouji rushing to her side. Kyo stood, finding himself caught between a rock and a hard place. He could change the wind current and blow away the smoke, but that would mean the scent of blood would go in Yuri's direction and now was definitely a terrible time for her to go into hysterics. Or he could just wait until he and his father passed out or died, whichever came first.

Torayoukai approached throwing more scented beads. Kyo and Ryouji both held their breath. The pair looked at each other and nodded. They drew their weapons and began to attack.

It was impossible to keep attacking and fighting several people on one breath alone. He couldn't breathe. Kyo looked to his father; he too was pushing himself to keep fighting on his single breath. The kaze ryuu couldn't take it; he gasped for another breath and regretted it instantly. The moment he took to breathe, he was struck by an enemy sword.

Kyo swung Amatsu Kazagurma and wiped out the last of the youkai, panting. Ryouji finally took a second breath, flinching as he did so.

A lynx youkai lunged out at Yuri who screamed. Her fan was knocked from her hand. Kyo sliced the youkai in half, and his daughter, as he expected, began to pale at the sight of blood. She was about to look around at the battlefield when Kyo shook his head.

"Don't." He whispered.

The kaze ryuu fell to his knees, coughing, desperate for clean air. Ryouji too fell to his knees. Yuri watched her father and grandfather, looking horrified.

More youkai were approaching. Yuri looked to where her fan was, several feet away. She had no weapon. The youkai were closing in, her father was trying to stand but he couldn't move.

The girl looked around frantically for something, _anything_ she could use. Then it hit her. She still had the fan Kaze-hime had given her. She pulled it out and unfolded it.

Her father fell to his side, unconscious, Ryouji soon followed after. Praying with all her might for some means to control the wind and blow away the smoke, she waved the fan.

A howling wind filled the entire clearing, kicking up dust and blowing the vapors from the scented beads in the opposite direction. The wind was wild and ferocious. When it stopped, a young woman in green silk and golden bangles and hair the color of starlight stood before Yuri, a second fan matching the one that the Inu-Ryuu girl had just waved in the woman's grip. At the woman's side was Wind. This woman was none other than Kaze-hime.

Kaze-hime turned to look at the girl. "Yuri-chan, you aren't hurt are you?" she asked.

Yuri numbly shook her head. Kaze-hime smiled and with a small flick of her wrist, Kyo, Ryouji, and Megumi all regained consciousness, the mandrake powder now cleared from their lungs. Upon seeing that her father and grandparents were alright, Yuri tore off her mask and ran to her father and hugged him.

Kyo patted her head, summoning his weapon, preparing to fight.

"Kaze-hime!" An enraged voice roared.

All eyes found the source of the voice and saw Harukichi rushing toward the young woman. Kaze-hime's gray eyes stared straight back into Harukichi's orange ones.

"Your power will be mine. _You_ will be mine!" The San Ryuu yelled.

Kaze-hime looked at Harukichi in disgust. "Only the worthy will receive my power. You are not worthy, you don't deserve it." She replied.

Harukichi growled and charged. Wind ran forward and blocked. Harukichi shot flames from his free palm towards the woman.

"Kizue!" Wind cried out in warning, looking over his shoulder.

A barrage of wind blades cut the flames into tiny embers. Yuri stood, her arm outstretched. Wind let out a sigh of relief. Kaze-hime smiled at Yuri and nodded a thank you.

Harukichi smirked. Both the real Kaze-hime and her reincarnation were present. Either one of them he would have limitless power. The San Ryuu turned and headed for Yuri. Kaze-hime's eyes narrowed. She spun her fan as she rotated her wrist, unleashing a gale force wind that blew the Ryuuyoukai of the Sun away.

The youkai armies began to crowd around them, Kaze-hime extended her arm parallel to the ground, making a horizontal sweep with her fan. A massive wind blade shot out and took out the enemy youkai.

Then Takeda Katsuyori sounded a retreat. The remainder of the armies fell back and Nobunaga's army erupted in cheers.

Kaze-hime waved a farewell and both she, and Wind disappeared.

The battle was over. The West had won.

* * *

**A/N:** Whew. It took me all day, but I finished it. Wow, a full chapter of just pure fighting. I do hope none of it was too repetitive. I've been reading "Shogun" by James Clavell for inspiration. XD Anyways, I'm thinking I'll start writing the next chapter after a short break. I've been sitting in my desk chair for about 6 hours. So I'm stiff. XP Once I can feel my legs again, I'll get cracking. XD Ja ne until next time! 


	16. The Aftermath

**A/N:** Alrighty, I'm all better now XD It's still the 30th as I write this! Hehe XD Anyway, disclaimer will be read by um…Hana!

Hana: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, Mizumi, Zetsuei, or Mizumi's maids. She owns her characters, her plot, and her stories. And now for the startling conclusion to the Battle of Nagashino, I present to you, chapter sixteen.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: The Aftermath

Mizumi staggered as she made her way across the battlefield with Tsurugi. He had an arm around her shoulders and was helping her walk as they made their way toward the castle.

Out of gratitude, the residents of Nagashino had agreed to let the soldiers rest and recover in the castle. All the wounded had been transported within the palace gates and were receiving treatment.

"Clear the way!" A voice shouted.

Two soldiers were carrying a third on a stretcher, seriously wounded.

"Well, I can't be much worse off than that guy," Mizumi said with a sigh. "I don't see _why_ you insist on helping me. I'm fit to walk on my own." The Nekoyoukai added, turning to Tsurugi.

"Oh you are?" The Taisho heir asked, removing his arm.

The Nekoyoukai girl began to fall. Tsurugi caught her and once again put his arm around her. "Your actions say different." The boy said, his tone firm.

It was obvious this was the last of _that_ argument.

-

Hana, Kagome, and Rin were rushing around as they treated the hundreds of wounded that were arriving in the vast hall that had been converted into a makeshift medical ward. The women were fortunate that Nobunaga's army doctors had survived the fighting and were around to help. Another unexpected helper was an elderly man named Mamoru, who was the Neko clan's royal physician. Three maids accompanied him and were also helping out. They too, were Nekoyoukai. However, Hana had no time to question whether or not she could trust the youkai. There were far too many wounded and she had much more pressing matters on her mind.

"Hana-sama! We've got another one!" yelled one of Nobunaga's doctors.

"What's their status?" Hana called back.

"Belladonna poisoning, it's advanced to stage two. It's getting pretty bad." The doctor replied.

"Alright, bring the patient here." The miko-youkai said.

The doctor nodded and motioned someone forward. Zetsuei approached, carrying a girl in his arms. The Torayoukai set the girl down before Hana who suddenly froze.

The miko-youkai's eyes brimmed with tears and gave a startled cry. Kagome and Rin approached wondering what all the fuss was about.

'_This scent of blood…it's impossible…_' Hana thought, staring at the girl who lay still before her.

Rin reached her mother's side and gasped.

"Impossible…" she breathed.

Hana took several deep, calming breaths and quickly wiped her eyes. This was no time to fall to pieces. The miko-youkai immediately regained her composure and turned to Zetsuei. "Were you there to witness this?" she asked.

Zetsuei nodded. "A youkai with a large sword attacked her. He poisoned the blade with juice from the berries as well as the leaves itself from a belladonna plant. During combat the girl sustained a shallow wound to the neck from the sword." The Torayoukai explained.

The miko-youkai nodded solemnly, her eyes looking to her daughter's neck where a small angry red cut marred the pale flesh. Then at last the words of the doctor and the Torayoukai registered. Belladonna poisoning. There was no cure, at least, none that Hana knew of. The thought brought her to yet another wave of tears.

"Hahaue," Rin began hesitantly. "What can we do?"

Hana shook her head. "There's no cure to belladonna poisoning. None that I know of anyway." The miko-youkai replied sorrowfully.

"There is a cure," Zetsuei began.

All eyes immediately went to him.

"I know the remedy. I am a man of shadows. Studying poisons and their antidotes was required training." He said.

"What do you want us to do? We'll do whatever you say. Please, just save Tsuki-chan." Hana said pleadingly while looking at the Torayoukai.

The Torayoukai nodded and stood silent in thought for a moment. "I will need water, one basin cold, another hot, a needle, some chlorella, and some angelica. Bring those to me at once." He instructed.

Hana rushed off to fetch the requested herbs while Rin and Kagome went to get the water and needle. They returned and handed Zetsuei the requested items. He gave a nod of satisfaction before pulling up a mask to cover his nose and mouth and putting on gloves.

"I am Torayoukai, which is more or less very much like a cat; naturally I would be affected by belladonna. One can never be too cautious," he explained.

Zetsuei dipped the needle in the hot water and pulled it out and began to crush the chlorella leaves. He rolled the needle in the herbs and stood, placing the needle in the flame of one of the lanterns. He resumed his seat and lifted Tsukimisou's limp arm and found a vein and pushed the needle in.

"Belladonna goes through the bloodstream. Chlorella clears the bloodstream of toxins. By injecting the chlorella directly into the bloodstream, it will attack the belladonna," Zetsuei explained.

The Torayoukai pulled out the needle and placed it aside. He pulled out the angelica and ground the herb into a fine powder. "Please mix this with some tea and get me a clean cloth." He said.

Kagome immediately took the herb powder and to prepare some tea. As the miko walked away, Sesshoumaru approached. The taiyoukai took note of the person lying on the futon with surprise.

'_I wasn't hallucinating after all…_' The demon lord mused.

"How is she?" He asked after a few moments.

"She's suffering from belladonna poisoning," Hana replied hesitantly.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly. "There is no cure, she will die." The taiyoukai said as calmly as he could, the last of his restraint that held back his emotions feeling very close to breaking.

It was painful enough to lose Tsukimisou the first time. It would hurt much worse to have her back only to lose her again.

"There is a cure," Zetsuei said again. "I have already administered the first half of the antidote."

Kagome returned with the tea and the cloth. The Torayoukai took the tea and placed the cloth in the cold water.

"Please, I need someone to help me sit her up." He said.

Sesshoumaru moved immediately and raised his daughter into a sitting position. Zetsuei raised the cup of tea to the girl's lips and tipped some of the contents into her mouth, he paused to press a point on the Inuyoukai girl's neck which caused her to reflexively swallow. He repeated the process until the cup was empty.

The Torayoukai pulled off his gloves and reached into the cold water basin and placed the cloth atop the girl's forehead.

"As the chlorella fights the belladonna, she'll have a violent fever. The angelica should minimize the severity of it. She needs to rest now." Zetsuei said as he pulled off his mask as well.

Rin began to cry with joy, Sesshoumaru emitted a small sigh of relief, Kagome smiled as she blinked back tears. Hana however, could no longer contain the tears that she had withheld. The hot tears made their way down her face, and before she could realize what she was doing, she had thrown her arms around the Torayoukai boy.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much. You've saved her; you saved our daughter,"

Zetsuei had flinched slightly, completely taken aback by the Lady of the West's actions. Reluctantly, the Torayoukai returned the embrace before quickly releasing the woman. Hana did the same and bowed appreciatively.

"We are forever grateful for your kindness," she said.

Zetsuei nodded hesitantly and mumbled a 'you're welcome'. The awkward moment was quickly shattered by a scream of fright and shock.

"Mizumi-sama!" One of the Nekoyoukai maids exclaimed.

All heads turned towards the source of the voice where they saw Tsurugi supporting a heavily bandaged Mizumi. The Nekoyoukai heiress stumbled and fell, taking the Taisho heir with her. The girl coughed and spat out her own blood and gave a startled cry of pain. The bandage that had been wrapped around the diagonal slash in her chest began to darken to a deep crimson as the barely sealed cut reopened. Mizumi passed out. Tsurugi lifted her up and carried her to the nearest available bed.

The three Nekoyoukai maids and the elderly Nekoyoukai doctor rushed over. Seeing all the commotion, Hana rushed over. Tsurugi watched in interest.

"Oi! Look away!" One of the Nekoyoukai maids snapped at the Taisho heir. "It's inexcusable to allow Mizumi-sama to be so exposed in this state!"

Tsurugi rolled his eyes and turned away. His ears caught the sounds of rustling silk. From what he heard, Mizumi's kimono had been undone down to her waist.

"Who applied the bandages?" came his mother's voice.

The Taisho heir shut his eyes and put a hand over them. "I did," he said as he turned around.

He heard his mother's gasp of surprise and risked opening one eye. He looked to his mother and saw that she was trying to suppress a laugh at her son's antics.

"Well," Hana began, regaining her serious composure. "You may very well have saved her life. If she had been allowed to bleed before she got here, she would've bled herself to death. It was smart of you to apply the herbs." She said.

"That's what they're for, aren't they Hahaue?" Tsurugi replied with a small grin. "Besides, you're a good teacher."

The boy had removed his hand from his eyes and deemed it safe enough to open the other eye. Tsurugi felt his face grow hot from the sight that met his eyes. One of the maids that were surrounding the futon where Mizumi lay moved to the side, leaving a clear view of the girl that rested on the mattress. The Taisho heir received an eyeful of naked flesh marred by a horizontal slash and a stab wound across the girl's stomach and a diagonal gash that started at the shoulder and stopped right above her breasts.

He had to admit, even though she was wounded, she was beautiful. Tsurugi's eyes traveled upward to the Nekoyoukai girl's face and barely suppressed a gasp of shock and embarrassment as his blush darkened. Mizumi was conscious and had noticed his staring, her face now reddening with a blush of her own. Their eyes met and neither one could look away.

_Thump!_

Tsurugi blinked as the top of his head throbbed with pain. He looked up and saw his father, the taiyoukai's right hand clenched in a fist.

"Eh…nani? What'd I do?" The boy asked stupidly.

Sesshoumaru let out an almost unnoticed sigh and steered his son away. "Baka," The taiyoukai replied, shaking his head.

Once the pair was out of earshot of the four Nekoyoukai and Hana, Sesshoumaru began to speak again.

"That was improper, Tsurugi," The taiyoukai chided.

The Taisho heir's face flushed red instantly and nodded numbly. "Hai, I know." The boy answered.

"There is someone I want you to see," Sesshoumaru said, dropping the previous subject, having decided his son had suffered enough humiliation and had most definitely learned his lesson.

Tsurugi looked relieved at his father's change of pace and nodded again. "Who is it?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Someone we have missed for a long time." The taiyoukai replied.

-

Reika sighed and walked through the palace gates. Nearby she could see her cousin and his mate making their way inside towards the makeshift medical ward. Mei Lhi spotted her and turned and ran at the Spirit of the Anti-Life.

"Reika-chan!" The hanyou woman exclaimed, flinging her arms around the violet-eyed woman. "How can this be?"

The Spirit of Anti-Life grinned and said, "Well, sometimes the dead don't like to stay dead when they've still got things to do with their lives."

Kyo smiled knowingly. "I had a sneaking suspicion back in Kyoto," he began.

Mei Lhi turned to look at her mate with a shocked expression. "You knew it was her?" she asked.

"Well I wasn't quite sure, but seeing Reika here and now, I know for sure it was her back then." The kaze ryuu replied.

"And he's absolutely right," Reika said with a small sigh. "You almost blew my cover. Don't think I didn't notice that you were examining me."

"Your cover? What are you talking about? Why would it be bad if you were revealed?" Mei Lhi inquired.

"If I were revealed, it would have risked someone else hiding with me to have their true identity revealed as well." The Spirit of Anti-Life explained.

At her words both hanyou and kaze ryuu looked immensely baffled. Toji appeared behind his beloved and sighed, shaking his head lightly.

"I'll give you a hint," the Spirit of Life began. "She's someone who's idolized Reika for a very long time and became very close to her as well. She even helped Reika organize a search party for yours truly."

Then after a few seconds the answer dawned on them.

"Tsukimisou…is alive?"

Slowly but surely, Reika and Toji nodded.

-

Tsukimisou could hear many voices around her but couldn't distinguish what any one of them was saying. Her eyes cracked open and blurred shapes and colors filled her line of sight. She became aware of something cold and wet on her forehead and that she was lying down in a warm bed.

She blinked her eyes shut, hoping to drift off again but found that now that she had awoken, slumber was elusive. With a small sigh she forced her eyes open and willed her vision to focus itself. The moment she did so, she found that her eyes locked with several pairs of gold eyes and many familiar faces.

The voices that she had heard in her first waking moments had ceased and became an awed silence. Tsurugi was the first to recover.

"Nee-chan…is that really you?" He asked quietly.

Tsukimisou sighed and nodded. "Hai, it's me." She replied, her voice reverting to her native Tokyo accent instead of the Kyoto one she had been speaking with for the past seven years.

The girl's brother smiled and leaned over the futon to hug her. Rin cried happily while Kagome and Inuyasha, who had come over a few moments before, simply beamed broadly. Kyo and Mei Lhi were also smiling and looking overjoyed to see the person before them was alive and well.

Yet the Inuyoukai girl's eyes were immediately drawn to her father and mother. The pair had neither said anything nor made any gesture that showed they were grateful to have their daughter back.

"Hahaue," Tsukimisou began timidly, her voice scarcely above a whisper.

Hana looked up and stared at her daughter intently, waiting for her to speak.

"Gomen nasai, Hahaue. I know you were worried about me. I didn't mean to cause you any pain. I don't expect you to forgive me for what I've done, so hate me if you wish it. I will understand," The girl said finally.

The miko-youkai's eyes glistened with tears once again and she took her daughter into her arms. "Tsuki-chan, I could never hate you. Don't even think that for a second! I'm just so happy, so relieved that you're alive. That's all that matters."

Once the two had broken their tight embrace, Sesshoumaru angled himself slightly so that he faced his daughter with a penetrating stare.

"Chichiue-" Tsukimisou began, but quickly broke off at her father's small shake of his head.

"Tsukimisou," The taiyoukai said slowly, pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts. "I am uncertain of how our reunion came to be, however, I would not wish this turn of events to occur any other way."

From the corner of her eye, Tsukimisou could see Reika and Toji both beaming at her. With her small and quiet smile, it seemed that Reika was saying "You see? Everything's going to be alright now." And at that moment, the Inuyoukai girl believed her friend's unsaid words.

Her parents and her family had welcomed her back with open arms and their love. They hadn't shunned and hated her as she had feared. Yes, everything would be fine.

-

Aijii and Kago arrived in the packed makeshift medical ward, Yuri and Satsu following close behind.

"Whew, that was one hell of a fight!" Aijii said with a long, low whistle.

"Ha! You're telling me!" Kago snorted. "_You're_ the one that got the Shikon no Tama cut out of your belly!"

Satsu looked on at the pair with interest. "You got the Shikon no Tama, Nii-chan?" she inquired.

Aijii nodded, pulling the small rose-colored glass-spun ball from his pocket. "Yeah but it hurt like hell when it got sliced out of me." The boy said with a grunt.

"Someone's a big baby! Koinu!" The Inu-Ryuu boy teased.

"Oh shut up!" Aijii snapped back.

Satsu watched the pair bicker and snarl at one another with interest, a small smirk creeping onto her face. She sighed. Those two acted more like brothers than cousins or best friends for that matter. The girl let her gaze drift to Yuri who had been standing alongside her, silent and staring at the intricately patterned tatami mats on the floor.

"Yuri-chan, daijoubu desu ka?" Satsu asked timidly.

The girl looked up, slightly startled at being addressed. "Hai, daijoubu desu," She answered after a few moments.

Kago approached his sister, his mock fight with his best friend forgotten. Looking her over, he could see that she looked a bit paler than usual but remained unusually calm. The boy took note that all around them wounded soldiers were resting in futons, many of them bloody and beaten.

"Is it the soldiers, Yuri-chan? Because they're hurt?" The Inu-Ryuu boy asked, choosing his words carefully.

Yuri glanced up at her brother before quickly averting her gaze to the floor again. "Iie," She replied, shaking her head. "It's just…strange," The girl began.

"What's strange?" Aijii asked, deciding to join the conversation.

"I saw Kaze-hime on the battlefield today."

-

Kizue sat silently, staring out the window, deep in thought. A light breeze ruffled her hair and Wind appeared behind her and embraced her.

"Kizue-chan," He whispered.

"Hai?" She asked.

"I…I wanted to ask, if it's not too much, how did you come back to me?"

Kaze-hime smiled and turned to face her beloved. "This is a story best told when my audience is sitting," The woman said, still smiling.

Wind immediately complied and sat upon the bed that Kaze-hime herself had occupied for so many years. Kizue followed him over and sat by his side.

"Wind, I was poisoned," She began suddenly.

"Nani?" The Legendary Spirit roared in outrage. "Who was it? Who did this?"

Kizue sighed and reached out her arm to lightly touch Wind on the shoulder. She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze and Wind calmed immediately. Once his anger had simmered a bit, the woman continued.

"I was poisoned by Harukichi. He has a knack for doing that. I heard that he did the same to Hinoki-san a few years back. I knew what he had done immediately. I'm sorry for not telling you, Wind. But I knew you would do something rash if I did. So I kept the knowledge to myself. It was my only option. Please, forgive me for that. I only wanted to do what was best," She paused briefly and went on. "I had willingly made the decision to die all those years ago. But something happened. When it was finally time for me to die, I fell into a deep sleep. The poison gradually slowed my heart, but something inside, my desire to live, kept my body alive. My soul departed my body and I was reborn as I had predicted. But as time went on, the poison's effects were weakening. I was beginning to come back to life. I visited Yuri in her sleep and instructed her to meet with you. Shortly after that, a dance was performed. A dance that expressed all that I'd felt in that all-too short lifetime of mine. It was so powerful that it awoke my slumbering soul. I'd begun to feel again, my life had been restored. And then I heard Yuri-chan calling out for help. The rest, as you know, is history."

Wind sat silently, taking in this new information. "Sou ka," He said after a time.

"Are you-are you angry with me?" Kizue asked timidly.

The Legendary Spirit shook his head. "Iie. I understand your reasons, Kizue-chan. I have no right nor do I wish to resent you for your decisions." He replied.

Kaze-hime smiled again and sighed softly. "So what now?" She asked.

"There's much to be done," Wind began. "Nagashino was only the beginning. Many have malignant thoughts of conquest on their minds. Now, more than ever, are yours and Yuriko's lives in danger. With the return of the Shikon no Tama, using your power and the jewel will be the key elements to obtain if one wished to rule Japan,"

"We can't let that happen!" Kizue exclaimed in protest.

"Hai, I know that," Wind responded, then briefly pausing for breath before continuing. "In any case, it would be in our best interest to keep a close eye on both Yuriko and the jewel." He finished.

Kaze-hime nodded. "Very well then. I suppose we should be setting out soon, ne?"

Wind glanced at the woman and gave a curt nod in reply. He stood and took Kizue into his arms. The pair was surrounded by howling wind and abruptly vanished.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys, sorry it took so long for this one to get done. I started school and everything sort of went downhill from there. I'm currently filling out endless college applications and trying to do all my necessary tests and ensure I've finished all my graduation requirements. You know, that typical senior year stuff. XP Anywho, I had gotten a bit lazy anyway because I'd figured that because I had put up 4 chapters I had an excuse to not write. But I know better now. So Today is Halloween when I've finally finished the chapter. (I guess all the candy and extra sugar coated in sugar helped) So until next time, ja! 


	17. Forward

**A/N:** Hey guys! November 1st! Wow, time certainly flies. Sorry it's been so long. Band practice every day after school can really eat up your time. Plus I'm trying to get into Yale or UCLA, so that's fun. Haha. So I have an excuse for not writing! I'm filling out those application forms! The deadline is this month on the 30th! EEK! Anyway, to do the disclaimer today we have…Kaze-hime, aka, Kizue!

Kizue: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or anything else she may have alluded to in the past. She owns her characters and her stories. The characters Ichitani Mizumi, Kyoriko, Miseru, and Ikarisu are © to Kagome-chan, or better known as, Carrie. The character Zetsuei is the rightful property of and is hereby © to A.J., aka, RenegadeAmish. Without further adieu, here's chapter seventeen!

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Forward

"We've got a serious problem," Kagome began, addressing the room.

Upon her request, Inuyasha, Mei Lhi, Kyo, Hana, Sesshoumaru, Rin, Shippou, Sango, Miroku, Aijii, Kago, Satsu, Yuri, and Tsurugi were summoned to a private meeting. Tsukimisou and Mizumi were deemed unfit to attend and were confined to bed rest. Zetsuei had volunteered to watch over the pair.

"A problem?" Sesshoumaru said with an eyebrow slightly raised.

The miko nodded. "Hai, a very _big_ problem," She continued. "Earlier in the battle Aijii and Kago found themselves under attack. One of the youkai got a lucky blow and cut out the Shikon no Tama which so conveniently resided in my son's body until now."

Kyo's brow creased as the reincarnated priestess said this. "So now we've got more to worry about," The Ryuuyoukai said, thinking out loud. "Youkai and ningen alike already want Kaze-hime's power and now that the Shikon no Tama is readily accessible…" He broke off his sentence and refused to finish. Of course, it wasn't necessary for the kaze ryuu to elaborate any further. Everyone knew what was going to happen.

"We can't stay here," Hana said instantly. "It's unfair to endanger these people with our troubles. They've just survived war. I doubt they can handle any more tragedy."

Silently everyone nodded. "As soon as Tsuki-chan is ready to travel, we're leaving." Sesshoumaru said with a tone of finality.

"Wait! What about Mizumi?" Tsurugi interjected hotly. "We can't just leave her here either! The ningen might attack her in the state she's in! You said so yourself Hahaue, these people have just been through war. Undoubtedly their grudges they hold against Nekoyoukai are still fresh! We'd be killing her if we left her!"

"Mizumi-sama is not our responsibility," Came the all-too unexpected voice of Myouga the Flea.

Tsurugi smacked the flea as it leapt from its perch from a nearby windowsill, having just arrived from a nearby bird. Myouga was flattened and after a few seconds righted himself.

"So we do nothing to help her?" The Taisho heir demanded. "She saved my life! Twice! The second time she almost got killed in order to protect me! That has to stand for something! So don't tell me that she's not our responsibility! She's as much our responsibility as Tsuki-chan!" The boy yelled angrily.

Both Hana and Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Tsurugi, Myouga speaks the truth. Mizumi really isn't our responsibility. She belongs in the care of her people. Her maids and personal physician are here. She'll be safe enough. Besides, I'm sure she'll leave before we do." Hana explained in a calm voice.

The Taisho heir flashed an angry glare at the wall and drew a long, calming breath. He dropped his fierce stare and slowly nodded his head in understanding.

"Mizumi has her own responsibilities to worry about now. She rules the East. Her father's dead, she naturally takes over as Taisho, if not that, then at least ruling taiyoukai." The miko-youkai continued.

Tsurugi said nothing in response. At his lack of a response, the others decided to continue to discuss the current matters at hand.

"We've another problem," Kyo said quietly.

Everyone looked up at him, waiting for the kaze ryuu to continue.

"Kaze-hime has returned. I don't know how it happened, she was supposed to be dead-" The Ryuuyoukai began, but was cut off.

"Kaze-hime never died," Reika interrupted, entering the room with Toji, Ryouji, and Megumi in tow.

"Nani?" Everyone exclaimed incredulously.

The Spirit of Anti-Life sighed and reached into her yukata and pulled out the Book of Fate. She opened it and flipped several pages and at last located the entry she was looking for.

"This page has all the deaths that occurred in the year Kaze-hime supposedly died in. Funny that her name isn't anywhere on this list,"

"But what if it was another year?" Kagome asked.

Reika shook her head. "I've looked at the entries ten years before and after the supposed year. She's not listed." She replied calmly.

"But how can that be?"

"Like I said before, the dead don't really like to stay dead. They've recently acquired a habit of coming back."

-

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away Harukichi approached a seemingly-deserted shrine shrouded by mist. The shrine lay comfortably nestled between a pair of mountains which seemed to shield the building from much of the climate's harsh conditions. The place would have been quite peaceful if only the ominous, lingering presence that resided there wasn't so terrifying.

The San Ryuu knew what it was that was the cause for this malicious aura. He had come here specifically to seek her out. It was Zenatsu the Doll Maker, an apprentice to the demoness Urasue, who lived in the abandoned shrine now. And Harukichi had big plans for her.

He slowly made his way up the steps leading to the shrine's massive courtyard. It was eerily quiet and empty. The Ryuuyoukai's footsteps echoed and reechoed off the walls a few dozen times after he took each step.

"Who are you?" Hissed a voice suspiciously, its speaker hidden by the mist.

"My name is Harukichi; I am one of the Ryuuyoukai Clan. I seem to find myself in a predicament that would be best served if I were allowed to have you at my service." The San Ryuu replied calmly.

"What do you want?" The voice asked.

"As I said before, I am in need of your services and I am hoping that you are willing to partake in my personal venture."

"Speak civilly! I cannot understand your worthless drabble!"

"I have work for you," Harukichi began slowly. "If you accept, I will reward you generously."

The mist cleared and a woman came into view, her hair an unmistakable shade of blood red, wearing lurid red-colored hakama and a matching haori. She raised her head and crazed scarlet eyes bored into Harukichi's fierce orange ones.

"Do you even know who I am, Harukichi? Are you certain it's a wise decision to so easily put your trust into me?" The woman asked.

"Zenatsu-san, if I had any doubt of your loyalty I would not be here."

The woman, Zenatsu, recoiled at the sound of her name, her face curling into an expression of intense disgust. She spat at the earth and slowly nodded.

"Very well, Harukichi. I shall do as you request,"

"Excellent."

"What is it that you shall have me do?"

The San Ryuu raised a hand to his chin and took on a mock expression of deep thought. "I hear you're quite gifted at making dolls," He began. At Zenatsu's curt nod, the Ryuuyoukai continued. "How realistic are they?"

"My mistress taught me well. They look and act exactly as the originals. But unlike my predecessor who specialized in reanimating the dead, I can reanimate the living and make a copy indistinguishable from the one that my doll's image reflects. All I need is a piece of hair or any object important to that person. My magic shall do the rest." Zenatsu explained eagerly, pausing at certain points for dramatic effect.

Harukichi smirked and faced the woman. "Then I must ask you to make a few dolls for me…"

"Hai, it would be my pleasure."

The San Ryuu grinned. Yes, victory was near. So near he could taste it.

"I do hope these new dolls of mine will be pretty. They're not very fun when they're not good looking," The doll maker said, thinking out loud.

The Ryuuyoukai snapped out of his reverie at the sound of the youkai woman's voice. "I do not find myself attracted to any of those people, but I do believe you may very well find someone you like."

Zenatsu grinned. "Oooh I can't wait to meet my new toys!" She said in a child-like voice, laughing sinisterly, her voice turning into a shrieking cackle of delight. "I bet they'll be _so_ much fun!"

-

After their meeting had been adjourned, Reika had gone outside to get some air, only to be joined by Toji shortly after.

"That wasn't so bad now was it?" He asked while gently wrapping his arms around her.

The Spirit of Anti-Life shook her head. "Hai, it was easier than I expected it to be." She replied.

Toji grinned. He was just about to open his mouth to speak when Mei Lhi and Kyo appeared.

"Reika-chan! Toji-san!" The hanyou called, waving to the pair as she approached with her mate.

The kaze ryuu and hanyou sat down beside their friends who greeted the two newcomers with polite nods.

Silence settled in the air, only to be interrupted a few moments later. "So what are we going to do now?" Mei Lhi asked. "I mean, it's only a matter of time before youkai come around looking for the jewel and for Yuri-chan. What can we do? Is there anything that can be done to give us an advantage?"

"We enjoy the little time of peace we have," Toji answered.

"How do we do that?" Kyo inquired, sounding slightly amused.

"Well, cousin-in-law, I'm sure we'll find something to do." The Spirit of Life replied.

"Something like what? Wait, 'cousin-in-law'?" The kaze ryuu spluttered.

The Spirit of Life grinned and Reika's cheeks colored lightly. "Reika and I are engaged," He explained simply while giving his beloved a gentle squeeze which only caused the Spirit of Anti-Life's face to flush a much more prominent red.

Mei Lhi gasped in surprise and broke out into a wide smile. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you two!" She exclaimed.

"Arigatou," Reika murmured, speaking for the first time since her friend and cousin had arrived.

"So, when's the ceremony?" Kyo asked interestedly.

"We haven't set a date yet," Toji responded. "But I suppose it should be soon, while there's still time. Who knows how long this peaceful time we have now will last, ne?"

"Then perhaps we should take advantage of this time, before it runs out?"

Mei Lhi nodded in agreement. "I've been waiting for this moment for far too long. Besides, a wedding ceremony is just the thing we need to cheer everyone up and keep up the morale." The hanyou agreed, grinning.

"What do you say, Reika?" The Spirit of Life asked. "We can do this. Why not seize the opportunity while we can, ne?"

Reika nodded slowly. "Hai, I suppose."

"In any case, it'll give us more time to work on our other 'project'."

The Spirit of the Anti-Life's face turned a bright shade of red. "Don't say that out loud!" She said in a reprimanding tone.

"'Other project?'" Kyo and Mei Lhi questioned in unison.

Toji was about to reply when Reika clapped a hand over his mouth, her violet eyes flashing in warning. The Spirit of Life sighed and seemed to understand his mate's antics. The Spirit of Anti-Life removed her hand and took a few deep breaths to compose herself.

"Toji and I are trying to…" Reika began but found that her words failed her. "We're trying-we're trying to have-" She broke off again. She took another deep breath. "Toji and I are trying to start a family." She said finally, speaking rather quickly. "But…it's been complicated. Our elements conflict with one another."

It took a moment or two before the Spirit of Anti-Life's words sunk in, but once they did, their companions' expressions changed from happiness to concern.

"Complicated?" Kyo repeated.

Reika nodded. "Hai. I am Anti-Life. Such a weak and innocent force of life, like a child, could not survive in my body. It's just far too corrupt to allow something so pure to remain." She explained.

"There must be some way to get around that!" Mei Lhi said in protest.

"So far there's been no way that we've been able to come up with."

"Then maybe one of you…has personal complications?"

"Neither of us have any problems with _that_. I can conceive just as normally as anyone, it's just…my element kills the child before it has much time to even begin to develop."

The hanyou looked down at the ground in defeat and sighed. She traced circles in the dirt while she pondered what she could say in response. Yet there was nothing that Mei Lhi could say in order to contradict the truth that Reika spoke. She sighed again and said no more.

Silence settled in the courtyard, the serene quiet disturbed only by guards changing watch and the birds flitting from tree to tree. The four sat in silence and discussed the matter no further.

"Minna-san, come inside, it's getting late," Kagome's voice called.

Much like old friends reminiscing of the old days, the four sighed and stood, trudging their way to the door. The four walked inside one by one, shutting the door behind them with a snap.

-

Tsukimisou blinked the sand from her eyes as she woke to a dimly lit room. She was about to sit up when a hand gently pushed her back down.

"Nani?" She said in confusion. "Who's there?"

A figure shifted and Zetsuei appeared in the barely illuminated room. The girl breathed a sigh of relief.

"It was not my intention to startle you, Tsukimisou-san. I apologize." The Torayoukai said in a level voice.

The Inuyoukai girl stared at him curiously, unsure of how to react. She sighed and stayed silent a moment, her mind still laden with the heavy blanket of sleep. So much had happened in the past few hours. Then in a flash the memories of all that had transpired flooded her thoughts. She remembered the battle and then being attacked and then…darkness.

"You…you saved me, didn't you?" She asked.

"Hai."

"You saved me when everyone thought there was no possible way,"

"Hai."

"Arigatou, Zetsuei-san."

The Torayoukai stared at the Taisho girl intently, unable to shake the strange clenching sensation that suddenly worked itself into his chest.

"Is something wrong?" Tsukimisou asked curiously.

Zetsuei snapped out of his daydream-like stupor and abruptly shook his head. "Iie, I'm fine. My concern is you. You came close to losing your life, Tsukimisou-san," He replied, his cool and collected demeanor in place once again.

The Inuyoukai girl nodded and sighed. "I didn't expect my family reunion to be like this. I had hoped that it'd be different," She said quietly. "I didn't want to come back only to worry my family. I didn't want to come back only to have them be afraid of losing me all over again."

The Torayoukai seemed to understand the girl's words but said nothing further. "The important thing is that your family is happy. That should be all that matters," He said finally. "I'm certain that having you back, even if it was for just a moment, your family would have been happy either way. They would have preferred that you died fighting to protect your homeland instead of being a poor defenseless child that was murdered in the woods."

Tsukimisou's breath caught in her throat and her golden eyes began to glimmer with tears. She bit her lip and looked away from the Torayoukai, fighting back the pools of hot emotion that threatened to spill from her eyes. When she composed herself, Zetsuei stood and walked across the room and brought her a tray of miso soup and rice.

"Here, eat. It's been a while since you've had a decent meal. You'll need your strength, Tsukimisou-san," He said quietly as he helped ease the Inuyoukai girl into a sitting position.

The girl sighed once again and picked up the pair of black lacquered chopsticks that Zetsuei had placed on the tray for her and began to eat. The Torayoukai's words continued to repeat over and over in her mind.

'_Yes,_' She thought. '_I would rather die fighting. I would want to fight until my dying breath._'

-

Tsurugi's eyes snapped open as the sound of movement caught his attention. After the meeting he had decided to check in on Mizumi. The Nekoyoukai heiress had been sleeping peacefully at the time. But now it seemed, the girl had awoken.

"I thought you'd be sleeping forever," The Nekoyoukai girl said with a smirk.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep." The Taisho heir replied.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I came in to check in on you. I guess the day caught up with me in the process."

Mizumi's smirk grew broader. "Right. Are you sure you weren't hoping to get a glimpse at something else?"

The Inuyoukai boy's face flushed as red as a tomato. "Nani?!" He exclaimed. "That was an accident, I swear it!"

"I'm sure it was,"

"Besides, it's improper for me to have such desires as the ones you mentioned. As if I had any of those wants in the first place…"

Mizumi rolled her eyes. "Am I to understand that you find me unattractive? I could've sworn your eyes said different."

Tsurugi's face flushed a deeper crimson. "I never said that. What I said was I didn't have any desire to spy on you."

The Nekoyoukai girl smirked again. "Whatever you say, Tsurugi-_sama_." She said mockingly.

-

"Harukichi-sama, if you wish for me to make something for you I require materials," Zenatsu began in a low hiss. "And you still have yet to tell me what you need my dolls for."

The San Ryuu grinned wickedly. "Then perhaps I shall take you to your subjects. Once you find out who it is you're to create, I'm sure you'll know why I need the dolls." He replied.

The doll maker stared at the Ryuuyoukai, her crimson eyes wide. "I'll get to meet my originals?!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"You'll get to see your originals my dear Zenatsu-san. You cannot let them know you're there. Observe and find out what objects you require."

"Very well, I understand."

"I will take you to them."

Harukichi firmly gripped the red-haired woman's shoulder and began to become surrounded in bright light. Zenatsu immediately tried to fight the older man off, looking incredibly disgusted. The light that surrounded the pair became blindingly bright.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Zenatsu demanded angrily, her voice laced with venom.

"See for yourself, Zenatsu-san," Harukichi replied, sounding quite calm and a bit amused.

The doll maker looked around and immediately realized she was no longer in the courtyard of the abandoned shrine that she called home. Instead she stood in a green and leafy clearing a few paces behind a massive castle.

"Where are we?" She asked rudely.

"Nagashino Castle, Zenatsu-san."

Zenatsu's eyes surveyed the area, taking in the sights all around her. "So am I correct in assuming my originals are here?" The doll maker inquired.

"Indeed they are. In fact, your first is coming this way," Harukichi replied.

The San Ryuu and doll maker peered through the foliage and saw a silver-haired, dog-eared inu hanyou clad in red. Zenatsu's eyes narrowed. "Inuyasha…" She growled bitterly. "The man responsible for killing my mistress…he will pay."

"Ah, here comes another!" The Ryuuyoukai of the Sun whispered.

A dark haired woman wearing strange clothing not known to the Sengoku Jidai approached Inuyasha, the pair then briskly walked away, oblivious to the two pairs of eyes that had followed their every step.

"That woman resembles Kikyou," Zenatsu said once the strange woman and Inuyasha were out of earshot.

"That woman is the reincarnation of Kikyou. Her name is Kagome," Harukichi explained.

"Kagome, huh?" The doll maker repeated, licking her lips in an almost seductive manner.

Harukichi sighed then gripped Zenatsu's shoulder again, the bright light surrounding them once more. And again, Zenatsu strained to fight him off.

"Kuso! What's wrong with you? Stop touching me!" The woman spat.

The San Ryuu quirked an eyebrow at her. "How can I transport the both of us without me touching a part of you in order to bring you along? I suppose you'll have to deal with a verbal warning." He responded in a flat voice that bordered on the edges of annoyance.

The two vanished and reappeared on the other side of the castle.

"Your next subjects will be Sesshoumaru and Hana," Harukichi began. "After that, it will be Ryouji of the Sand and his excuse for a wife, Megumi, followed by their son Kyoshima and that disgusting hanyou woman, Mei Lhi,"

Now it was Zenatsu's turn to cock an eyebrow, looking mildly interested and surprise. "So essentially, the entire Inuyoukai clan?" She asked. "Anyone else on the hit list?"

Harukichi remained silent in thought for a few moments. "As a matter of fact, yes. There are two members of my clan who have been the banes of my existence since they were young. Their names are Adachi Toji and Ikari Reika. And while you're at it, my fiancée fled before we were to be wed. On top of that, the bitch attacked me. That target shall be the Daughter of the East, Ichitani Mizumi," He answered.

"Anyone else?" Zenatsu inquired, sounding bored.

"The heir, Tsurugi and the heiress, Tsukimisou. And you'd best include that traitorous bastard of the Torayoukai clan. That Zetsuei."

Zenatsu yawned and pulled out a scroll and scribbled down the names of all that she needed materials from. Harukichi looked on with a vague sense of curiosity.

"What sort of materials do you require?" The San Ryuu asked after a long period of silence that was broken only by the soft swishing sounds of Zenatsu's brush upon the scroll.

"Hair is usually the easiest and one of the best mediums. However, if there is a particular item that my original possesses that is very close to them, that item is most preferred. Now, leave me be, Harukichi-sama. I must get to know my new playthings."

Harukichi had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Without a backward glance, he vanished, leaving the doll maker quite alone outside the castle walls.

Zenatsu smirked, relieved that the Ryuuyoukai of the Sun had finally left. Silently she skirted the castle walls and began to watch.

Within a few hours' time she had learned all she had needed to know. Night had fallen and it was then that Zenatsu made her move.

First she slunk into Tsukimisou's room and snatched a folding fan which Zenatsu was certain belonged to the girl. She also took a few strands of dark green hair from the same room; the hairs gave off the unmistakable scent of Torayoukai.

Zenatsu proceeded to the room that Reika and Toji were sharing and took a pure white feather and a dagger with an upside-down tear drop shaped ruby laid in the hilt. A little ways down the hall was Tsurugi's room. Here the doll maker took a tiny scroll that had the boy's elder sister's name inscribed on it along with a golden bangle bearing the crest of the late Neko no Taisho.

Next was the room Kagome and Inuyasha shared. The doll maker stole an arrow from the miko's quiver and a few long silver hairs. The next room over was Kyo and Mei Lhi's room. Here, she took strands of white and silver hair. The room immediately across the hall was Ryouji and Hana's room. Zenatsu pulled out a small phial and gathered some sand and picked up a bright, emerald green leaf. Across the hall and a few doors down was Sesshoumaru and Hana's room. From here she took the miko-youkai's hair ribbon and a strange, foreign ink painting of some sort that showed a perfect illustration of the taiyoukai and his family.

At last all her materials were gathered and as if on cue, Harukichi returned.

"Are you ready?" He asked stiffly.

"Hai, take me back to my home. I need to set to work immediately," The doll maker replied.

The San Ryuu nodded and gripped Zenatsu's shoulder for one last time and in a bright white flash of light, they were gone.

-

"Agghhh…it's such a pain to come back here," Tsukimisou complained as she stepped out of the well on the Higurashi shrine.

"You know perfectly well why we're here, so don't complain." Reika replied.

It wasn't long after Toji, Reika, Kyo, and Mei Lhi's conversation that word of the Spirits of Life and Anti-Life's engagement and wedding ceremony got out. Everyone had immediately demanded that they return to the modern era for the ceremony. Thus, the moment that Tsukimisou was well, everyone prepared to travel. Well, everyone except Tsurugi who had taken a bit of time to persuade.

The Taisho heir had been adamant about not leaving Mizumi alone. But his reasons for wanting to stay behind were lost. Not long after that, Mizumi, her maids, and her physician left Nagashino to return back to their home in the East. The Nekoyoukai girl was now in control of the East and she needed to take up her position as the Neko no Taisho.

But other than that minor mishap, Tsurugi had grudgingly obliged to leave Nagashino Castle and head back toward Musashi's domain and pass through the Bone-Eater's Well with the rest of his family.

"I still don't know why _we_ had to come too," The Taisho heir muttered bitterly.

Tsukimisou rolled her eyes but said nothing in response. The others remained silent as they all climbed out of the well or exited the small building that housed the object that linked the two time periods.

"Ne, Reika-chan," Mei Lhi began slowly.

"Hm?" The Spirit of Anti-Life replied.

"Have you picked out a dress yet?"

Reika's face flushed a light pink and slowly she nodded. "But I don't expect you to go out and buy nice clothes. Toji and I talked about this earlier and we decided on a small ceremony, nothing huge or extravagant."

"Something simple, just like you," Kyo said with a grin.

"So what kind of ceremony are we talking about here?" Tsukimisou inquired, curiosity getting the best of her.

"We were thinking a Western-style wedding. It's more personal, more romantic." Toji replied while Reika just smiled embarrassedly and nodded in agreement.

"That sounds perfect. I can't wait!"

"Ma, what're we waiting for?" Mei Lhi said with a grin. "Let's start now!" The hanyou woman exclaimed, seizing her friend's wrist and dragging her off while Kagome, Tsukimisou, and Megumi trailed after her, leaving a puzzled Toji, Kyo, Tsurugi, Ryouji, and Inuyasha behind.

-

In a mere matter of hours Reika found herself in a small church wearing the dress she had picked and surrounded by her friends. Everything had happened in a blur. Mei Lhi dragged her off to the church and immediately made the Spirit of Anti-Life start preparing herself for the ceremony. Between the two of them they prepared the proper arrangements and a few telephone calls later and trips back to the shrine, the small list of guests had been made.

Meanwhile, Kyo had taken a very reluctant Toji out for some ring shopping. The pair had been to nearly every jeweler in Tokyo and still hadn't found the perfect ring. Finally after nearly three and a half hours, the long and grueling search had ended. A small jewelry store had caught the Spirit of Life's eye and he had decided to stop in, much to Kyo's dismay. Neither man had expected to walk out of the store with a small square-shaped box in tow and their wallets considerably lighter.

Mei Lhi had been appointed the maid of honor and Kyo was the best man. Tsukimisou had cheerfully volunteered to be the official witness. However, since Reika's own parents were dead, Ryouji and Megumi took it upon themselves to give their blessing. Also for the same reason, it was Ryouji who walked with the Spirit of Anti-Life down the aisle. Everyone else simply attended to both congratulate the couple or just to watch. It had been utter chaos for the past few hours, but now all that had changed.

Now the pair stood before a priest who began the ceremony, while friends and family looked on. It all seemed so surreal, it was so hard to believe that the event itself was really happening and not some sort of fleeting fancy or trick of the imagination. But it was real and the Spirits of Life and Anti-Life were side by side, surrounded by their loved ones, about to take one of the biggest steps forward in their lives together.

"Do you, Ikari Reika, hereby take Adachi Toji as your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, 'til death do you so part?" The priest asked.

"I do," Reika replied. "I give you this ring as a symbol of our love," She continued, sliding a wedding band onto her mate's finger. "With it I wed you, and give you my body, my soul, and my heart."

"And do you, Adachi Toji, hereby take Ikari Reika as your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, 'til death do you so part?"

"Hai, I do." Toji answered. "Take and wear this ring as a symbol of our love," He went on, also slipping the ring he'd picked out onto his beloved's slim finger. "With it I wed you, and commit my life to you forever."

The priest smiled at the pair and went on. "Today your lives begin anew and together you will share countless times of joy and sorrow on the road ahead. Cherish each moment you have to spend with one another and live no day unfulfilled. Now, if there be any objections to this union, may you speak now or forever hold your peace," The priest paused and looked around at the audience. Seeing as none of them had anything to say, he continued. "As such, by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

With a shy smile, the pair leaned toward one another and shared their first kiss as husband and wife. At once, all broke out into applause and cheers of jubilation. It was done. They were married.

-

Zenatsu cackled as she stirred her iron vat of hot clay. Her ingredients lay on a nearby table while several clay molds lay on the floor, awaiting the clay to be poured in.

"Soon…yes, soon, my new toys will be ready…and when they are, I'll take that pretty Kagome-woman for myself!"

* * *

**A/N:** Finally! I've finished it! After all this time, I can't believe it's finally done! Thank god now I'm on Winter Break. I can do a massive writing spree again! Woot! Anyways, I'll shut up. Ja ne until next time!


	18. Life Sheath

**A/N:** Hey we're back with Chapter 18! Man, I can't believe I'm at near 200 pages at this point. I'm on winter break, so I've got THREE WHOLE WEEKS of doing absolutely nothing! Woo! Go me! And I'm finally done with college applications! I was going to finish up my application to Yale, but my English teacher didn't give me his recommendation in time, so now I've got no idea whether or not he's actually done the damn thing. Oh well. Yale's too far, and too expensive XP Perhaps I'll apply for the next semester…the Spring 2009 one. (Shrugs) Anyway, I'm rambling. The disclaimer shall be read by um…Ryouji!

Ryouji: Aki-san doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or anything else she's mentioned or alluded to in her stories. She only owns her plot and her characters. Everything else is the rightful property of its owner. Now without any delay, here is chapter eighteen…

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: Life Sheath

The celebration of Reika and Toji's marriage began immediately after the group left the church. Somehow they all ended up in a very expensive restaurant located in the upper rung of Tokyo, surrounded by big shot company owners and wealthy businessmen.

"Today everything is my treat!" Ryouji announced. "This is a happy day; we must enjoy it to its fullest."

"Ryou-kun, are you sure we have enough to pay for everyone?" Megumi asked, quite opposed to the idea of paying seven thousand one hundred and five yen per person. (A/N: That would be $65 USD per plate. Thank you Canni for looking this up for me!)

"If money's an issue, we're all willing to pay for ourselves," Mei Lhi began.

"Iie, that's not necessary Mei-chan. A kind offer, but I must refuse. I'm quite certain I have enough to afford this," The Suna Ryuu replied, quickly putting an end to all protest. "Now, what'll everyone have to eat?" He asked brightly, reaching for a menu.

Megumi sighed and also reached for the menu that rested neatly upon her plate, all the while resigning herself to the fact that tonight her husband was possibly going to spend all their savings on dinner.

A young waiter approached the table, a notepad in hand. "Konban wa, minna-san and welcome to Shibuya, the finest dining experience you'll find in all of Tokyo. What can I start all of you off with?" He said in an inviting tone of voice.

"Bring your finest sake! Tonight is a night of joyous celebration. My niece has just gotten married," Ryouji answered, gesturing to Reika. "To this fine gentleman here," He continued, now indicating Toji.

The waiter smiled and nodded. "Hai, I understand," He said. "Would you perhaps like to enjoy a sampling of our finest platters? I can inform the chefs of the circumstances of your visit and I'm sure they'd be delighted to serve you."

The Suna Ryuu smiled and nodded in agreement while Megumi sighed again and buried her face into her hands. The waiter smiled again and promptly left the table.

"Ryou-kun…if our bank account is empty after this…" Megumi began in a dangerous voice, speaking through her hands. "I will make certain to inflict the highest possible degree of pain upon you and make you wish you hadn't crossed me!" She growled, now reappearing from behind her hands looking absolutely livid, worried, and irritated all at once, giving a glare of pure venom directly at her husband.

Everyone at the table flinched visibly, shivering in terror at the sheer intensity of the Earth Ryuu's gaze.

"Hahaue, it's only money. Chichiue can always make more easily," Kyo began in a slightly quaking voice, unable to shake off the sudden fear his mother's anger had struck in him.

"Iie, Kyo, you don't understand. I was saving up for Kago and Yuri-chan's college fund! But because of Ryou no baka over here, that may or may not happen." Megumi replied, in a much less hostile tone.

Kyo and Mei Lhi suddenly blinked and stared at the woman in surprise. Even Ryouji looked startled.

"Ehhhh? Nani? You…you would do that…for us?" Mei Lhi asked slowly, thunderstruck.

Megumi sighed yet again and nodded. "It was going to be a surprise for the two of you a little later. I've been saving my salary from the hospital so I could pay for full terms for Kago and Yuri-chan and have some extra money left over to pay for their graduation ceremonies from high school and congratulatory gifts and such," She said solemnly. The Earth Ryuu turned to her husband with a neutral expression and sighed once more. "Just…try not to spend all of it, ne? At least I have a few years to build up the fund before they're college age."

Ryouji sat silently, staring intently into his mate's eyes before smiling and giving a curt nod. "I wouldn't dream of spending all of it, Megumi-chan. How else am I to afford a family vacation to some distant country for all of us?" He said at last, still beaming.

"Hai, how indeed…"

-

Meanwhile in the East, Mizumi had just returned from Nagashino with her maids and her personal physician.

"Mamoru-san, please tell everyone to meet inside the palace hall," The Nekoyoukai girl instructed.

"Hai, it will be done at once." The royal physician replied, hurrying off.

"Kyoriko,"

"Hai, Mizumi-sama?"

"Prepare the hall with Ikarisu and Miseru. I need to tell everyone of my father's death. Once you are finished, get in contact with the West. I will need Sesshoumaru-sama to officially appoint me the taiyoukai of these lands."

Kyoriko nodded and with a glance to both Miseru and Ikarisu, the three left the room, leaving Mizumi alone in thought.

'_How am I supposed to tell my people that their leader was corrupt and that the Inuyoukai clan is no longer our enemy? After centuries of hating them, how will they respond to that? What am I to say? It'll be bad enough having them here for the official coronation. But if I announce it that they are to be treated as our allies from now on, something terrible could happen. Kuso! I hate having to be the one to do all this! _'

-

After dinner, Ryouji and Megumi kindly invited everyone to stay at their home for a cup of tea or two. Everyone was speaking pleasantly, still dressed in their best clothes from the wedding ceremony. The only one who seemed cut off from the group was Toji, who seemed to be in deep thought as he sipped his tea while Reika rested against his shoulder.

"Toji," Megumi called.

The Spirit of Life looked up sharply, as if coming out of a daze. "Hai, Megumi-san?" He asked quickly.

"Would you come with me to the kitchen to make some more tea for everyone?"

Toji nodded and whispered a "Don't worry, I won't be long" in his wife's ear before rising from where he sat on the sofa and following after Megumi's retreating form.

Megumi stood at the far wall of the kitchen, reaching into the cabinets for cups. "Toji, will you boil some water please?" She asked as soon as he was near. "The kettle is just over there on the counter."

The Life Spirit did as bidden and filled the kettle and placed it on the stove, waiting silently as Megumi placed tea bags into each of the cups.

"Will that be all, Megumi-san?" Toji asked slowly.

"Please wait," The Earth Ryuu said suddenly. "I wanted to talk to you,"

"About what?"

Megumi didn't answer and continued to take out the tea things from cupboards and drawers and other cabinets. When she'd finally finished, she turned to face the Spirit of Life and drew a deep breath.

"Toji, is there something troubling you?" She asked finally. "All of dinner you seemed distant, which is highly unlike you. Besides, I know that that sort of behavior is unfitting of a newlywed. Is there something wrong, has something bad happened?"

"I just—I can't tell you." Toji replied hesitantly. "I don't think it'd be right."

"Toji, when you took those vows today, I became part of your family as well. I'll probably be the closest thing you and Reika will have to a mother. You can tell me anything. It's alright."

"I just don't know if she'll be okay with me talking about it."

Megumi suddenly appeared startled. "Is it about Reika?" She asked slowly.

"Hai…well…it's more about the both of us…our personal endeavors."

"Toji, whatever it is, I know it's troubling you. You cannot begin a married life already worried. You can tell me. I'm sure she won't mind. Besides, you never know, there may be something I can do to help."

The Life Spirit nodded, albeit reluctantly and swallowed hard. "Reika and I both wish to start a family, but it's complicated…her element won't allow it. A child is a form of life, and to Reika's body it's a hostile, foreign entity and must be rid of. It's been hard. I promised her…I promised her I would make all our dreams come true…and I know how much this means to her. This small chance at a normal life, where she won't have to feel like she isn't human or know that she's the Spirit of Anti-Life, I know that if she can't have that small piece of normalcy, to her, all will seem lost."

Megumi stood silently, taking in Toji's words. The Spirit of Life expected the Earth Ryuu to sigh and say sadly that she couldn't help, but instead, the woman smiled. "Toji, I believe I can help you with this," She said, still smiling.

"You-you _can_?" He spluttered, taken aback.

"Hai, I do believe I can,"

"Please, I don't know what to do…"

"Toji, I am going to tell you a story. Many, many years ago, Harukichi attacked Hana with a type of paralysis poison that was embedded in his claws. Hana was unconscious and wouldn't wake up. Harukichi's claws had pierced her quite deep and she was bleeding profusely and barely breathing,"

"Gomen, Megumi-san, but what does this have to do about protecting the unborn child from Reika's power?" Toji interrupted.

"I will tell you," Megumi answered. "Just have patience." She paused for a moment and continued. "I went to tend to Hana's wounds. I didn't know how to pull the poison out. But then I realized something. Sesshoumaru is a poison user, and Hana, being his mate, would be immune to his poison. I instructed Sesshoumaru to use his poison to attack Harukichi's poison. It worked and Hana awoke and healed her wounds,"

"But I-" Toji began but was cut off.

"The reason I am telling you this story is because you and Reika are in a similar position. Now tell me Toji, is there any measure of your power you can use to protect a specific area from harm? I believe I saw some sort of thing with your power at the earlier battle at Nagashino. You placed some kind of white aura around Mei Lhi and that not only healed her injuries but kept her from getting hurt again."

"Of course!" The Spirit of Life exclaimed suddenly. "The Life Sheath. It protects a person's life from any sort of danger, whether it's physical injury, or jyaki or even the person itself."

Megumi beamed. "Well then, it is lucky that Reika-chan is immune to your power then, ne? Her body won't see your power as hostile, now will it?"

"No…" Toji replied, barely above a whisper. "Her element accepts me."

"Then all you have to worry about is focusing your power to center around a small, fixed point. The rest, I believe you'll be more than capable of doing on your own."

Without warning, the Spirit of Life had embraced Megumi. "Thank you so much, Megumi-san. I will be forever grateful to you."

Then with that said he turned his heel and walked out of the kitchen. When Megumi brought out the tea she noticed that both Toji and Reika were gone.

"Where have Toji and Reika gone?" The Earth Ryuu asked curiously, although she had a shrewd idea as to where they were.

"They went upstairs to rest," Kyo answered. "I put them in Hakaru's room. It's not like he's going to be coming back from the dead anytime soon. They may as well use it."

There was a touch of sadness in the kaze no ryuu's voice. Mei Lhi took her mate's hand into her own, understanding his pain. Long ago, back when she was still young, back before they had married, before Inuyasha went to hell with Kikyou, Hakaru had joined forces with Naraku and in the end, Kyo had to kill his own brother.

"Minna-san," Megumi began. "It's getting rather late. Perhaps after this last cup of tea we should all head off to bed ourselves?"

"Hai," Hana agreed wearily. "We should head home after this."

Sesshoumaru nodded his approval of the idea, while Tsurugi groaned and muttered a complaint of having to stay out to begin with.

"Kami-sama!" Kagome exclaimed, looking at the clock. "It's nearly eleven-thirty. We should get back to the shrine or else Mama will start to worry about us. It's bad enough we left Satsu, Aijii, Kago, and Yuri over there with her. She must have her hands full."

"Keh! They're probably fine. If anything, they're all awake and playing Soul Calibur or something in Souta's old room." Inuyasha replied with a snort.

"Iie, it'd have to be Super Smash Brothers," Mei Lhi said. "Kago likes it better and Aijii would want to play against him."

"And it's the only game Aijii's got a chance of beating Kago at." Kyo added.

"It is not!" Inuyasha snapped.

"It is so and you know it!" Mei Lhi countered.

"Alright, that's enough!" Hana interceded. "You three are giving me a headache."

The three of them froze in mid-retort and laughed nervously. Hana shook her head and motioned to Tsukimisou and Tsurugi who said their goodbyes to everyone in the room and followed their mother out, Sesshoumaru following after them.

"Ma, we shouldn't stay too long. We really should get back to the shrine." Kagome said finally.

Inuyasha grunted in reply and after quick farewells, both he and Kagome left, leaving Ryouji, Megumi, Kyo, and Mei Lhi the only ones remaining awake in the house.

"We all should turn in for the night," Ryouji said after a few minutes of silence.

Everyone nodded in agreement; Mei Lhi and Kyo headed upstairs to get some sleep while Ryouji and Megumi stayed downstairs to clean up the dishes before they too retired to bed.

-

Sunlight peeked through the curtains, the light dancing on Reika's bare shoulder. Her eyes snapped open immediately. Somewhere, she was hurting. No, everywhere, this pain was everywhere. Her entire body was in agony.

"Ah!" She cried out, biting her lip.

She knew this feeling, the feeling of life trying to blossom within her, cutting into her, and torturing her. It was the feeling of her body waging war on the still developing soul of an unborn child.

"No!" She gasped. "Not again…iie…"

The pain began to intensify. The child was dying.

"Iie! Onegai! Stop!"

A tear began to make its way down her cheek. Another hope…dying…another dream…lost. The tears began to come down freely as the pain continued to increase. Her quiet sobs grew louder. It was unbearable.

'_Make it stop, please make it stop…_'

"To-Toji…"

"Shimatta!" Came Toji's voice.

He'd finally woken, only to see his beloved writhing in pain and trying to suppress her cries. Then Reika screamed. At that same moment, the bedroom door opened revealing a very worried Mei Lhi and Kyo, both still in their pajamas, looking as if they'd just rolled out of bed and rushed down the hall.

"NO! Make it stop, PLEASE!"

"What's going on? What's wrong with her?" Mei Lhi asked worriedly.

"Her element is trying to kill the child," Toji answered quickly before turning to his beloved. "Shhh, Reika, try to stay as still as you can, I'm going to make it better, I promise."

The Spirit of Anti-Life nodded, biting her lip once again to keep from crying out. Toji took her into his arms, and shut his eyes, gathering his power to his right hand.

'_Focus on a specific point. I just have to find the source of the life energy and shield it._'

A white glow surrounded his hand and moved it to her waist before continuing further down, searching for the tiny life within her. His fingertips passed over a spot that fluttered feebly at his touch.

'_There! Found it._'

He took a deep breath, clearing his mind, concentrating. The light from his hand began to disappear into Reika's body, surrounding the desired point. When he was sure that the child was completely protected, he locked his power into place.

"Fuuin!"

It took effect immediately. Reika suddenly seemed more relaxed and had stopped crying. Mei Lhi and Kyo looked on, stunned.

'_Did I make it in time?_' Toji wondered, bringing his fingertips again to the place he'd felt life stirring within. This time the fluttering sensation was strong and even felt warm to the touch. He smiled. '_Arigatou, Megumi-san…it worked._'

-

Zenatsu pulled another empty mold to be filled with clay and poured it in and added the ingredients. Harukichi stood in a nearby corner, watching, waiting, anxiously and rather impatiently.

"How much longer is this going to take?" The San Ryuu growled out at last.

The doll-maker paused in her work and surveyed the Ryuuyoukai of the Sun with her crimson eyes. "It will take as long as necessary. My dolls need time to shape themselves so that they'll function properly when it comes time to use them. Otherwise it will be a poor performance." She said at last in a level and dull tone, which sounded oddly calm in comparison to Harukichi's enraged and impatient one.

Harukichi said no more and seethed silently while watching Zenatsu work. She filled another mold and added the ingredients, which happened to be a pure white feather. The clay in the mold grew brightly and began to harden and take shape. With a smirk, the doll-maker pulled over another mold and continued working.

-

Meanwhile, back in the East, Mizumi was hard at work, still organizing her official coronation.

"Mizumi-sama!" Mamoru called, running into the main hall where the Nekoyoukai heiress sat lounging in her now-dead father's throne. "I have news from the West!"

The Nekoyoukai girl sat up and looked at her physician curiously. "News? What sort of news?"

"Well, Sesshoumaru-sama is currently away so his daughter Rin-sama and Shippou-sama are acting as regents. So they will deliver your message as soon as Sesshoumaru-sama returns," The elderly Nekoyoukai began, only to be interrupted.

"When he returns may be too late!" Mizumi protested. "The East could be halfway to falling apart!"

"Mizumi-sama, we're in luck. It seems the Torayoukai boy, Zetsuei-san overheard my message to Shippo-sama and Rin-sama and has followed me here and is most willing to deliver your request to Sesshoumaru-sama personally." Mamoru finished.

The Nekoyoukai girl's expression changed immediately. "Where is he?" She asked at once.

Mamoru turned over his shoulder and beckoned to someone that Mizumi couldn't see. Immediately, Zetsuei stepped into sight.

"You wished to request that Sesshoumaru-sama officially appoint you as Neko no Taisho, correct?" The Torayoukai asked at once.

Mizumi nodded, and with that Zetsuei turned and began to walk out the door.

"I will find him for you."

Then before she knew it, Zetsuei had vanished.

-

Megumi set coffee and breakfast down on the kitchen table, smiling happily. Ryouji glanced at his mate above the morning paper with an amused expression on his face. A few minutes later, Mei Lhi, Kyo, Toji, and Reika came downstairs.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, minna-san!" The Earth Ryuu greeted warmly.

"Ohayou," Mei Lhi replied.

"Breakfast, anyone?"

"It looks delicious, Kaa-chan, arigatou." Kyo said politely.

The four took seats at the table and began to eat. Reika found that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't suppress the grin that had plastered itself onto her face.

"Reika-chan, what's made you so happy this morning?" Ryouji inquired curiously.

The Spirit of Anti-Life looked down at her plate shyly and didn't answer. Toji grinned and turned to Megumi.

"Arigatou, Megumi-san. It worked." He said simply.

The Earth Ryuu smiled. "Then I am happy for you both," She replied. "Congratulations."

Ryouji stared at his wife and his niece and nephew-in-law, utterly confused and was about to open his mouth to make an inquiry regarding what on earth the three knew that he didn't. But at that moment, the doorbell rang, thus the Suna Ryuu sighed and brushed the matter aside and folded the paper and headed to the door.

"Ohayou gozaimasu," Hana greeted as soon as Ryouji opened the door.

Accompanying Hana were Tsukimisou, Tsurugi, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Kagome, Satsu, Aijii, Kago, and Yuri. The Suna Ryuu looked curiously at the group before stepping aside and inviting everyone in.

"Have you eaten? Megumi-chan's made breakfast," He said to them.

"Breakfast would be lovely, thank you," Kagome replied.

Ryouji nodded and brought over several more chairs to the kitchen table. Once everyone was in the kitchen, Yuri and Kago immediately ran over to their parents and hugged them, happy to see them both.

"Hahaue! Chichiue! We missed you!" Kago exclaimed.

"We missed you too," Mei Lhi replied as she embraced her son and daughter.

"They weren't too much trouble, I hope?" Kyo asked, turning to Kagome and Inuyasha.

The hanyou and miko both shook their heads. "Iie, they were perfectly well-behaved," Kagome replied. "They did everything we asked and they were incredibly polite…unlike _someone_ I know." She concluded with a sharp glare at her mate.

"Breakfast!" Megumi announced, setting plates in front of the guests.

"Itadakimasu!" Everyone chorused as they dug into the dishes laden before them.

When all were fed and watered and milling about in pleasant chatter, Megumi cleared away the plates, and Kagome, Mei Lhi, and Reika volunteered to go help out. The quartet retreated into the kitchen just as the doorbell rang again. Megumi poked her head out, about to go and answer the door.

"I'll get it!" Kyo called over his shoulder as he stood.

The Earth Ryuu nodded an 'okay' and went back into the kitchen. Kyo approached the door and opened it, and much to his surprise, found himself face-to-face with none other than Shippou.

"Ohayou, Kyo-san," The kitsune greeted. "Is Sesshoumaru-otooji-san here? It's important; I need to speak to him,"

The Kaze Ryuu nodded and motioned his friend inside. Kyo then shut the door and followed after the kitsune, who had made his way toward the living room where everyone was now sitting, having thoroughly enjoyed a home-cooked breakfast.

"Sesshoumaru-otooji-san," Shippou began.

The taiyoukai inclined his head politely as a way of greeting.

"Hai?" The demon lord asked, sensing that his adoptive nephew and son-in-law had more to say.

"I bring a message from Mizumi-sama of the East," The kitsune replied. "She says that she wishes to take over the East as the rightful position of Taisho, but she needs you to perform the official ceremony."

"Sou ka," Sesshoumaru responded idly. "Then I suppose we should all hurry back."

"Chi-Chichiue," Tsurugi stammered suddenly. "I-I'd like to go with you, you know, to this ceremony thing."

"Oh?" The taiyoukai said, sounding somewhat amused. "How can I be convinced that it's the ceremony that's caught your interest and not a certain woman?"

The young heir went red in the face, unable to speak for a moment. "Chichiue, how could you ever think so lowly of me? I don't care at all about Mizumi! I just want to go to see how this ceremony is performed. I'll have to see it sometime, when I succeed you as Lord of the Western Lands. This is a perfect opportunity for me to learn about it, so that way when the time comes, I'll be prepared." He explained quickly, regaining his cool and collected composure.

Sesshoumaru smirked and nodded. "Hai, I suppose you have a sound reason to attend. Very well, we shall all depart for the Sengoku Jidai at once. Tsurugi and I will go to the East. All the rest of you will have to remain in the West to oversee everything." He said.

The others nodded and before anyone knew it, they were out the door and down the well.

-

Zenatsu's smirk grew broader as the clay mold on one of her dolls began to crack. Harukichi turned, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes! She's ready!" The doll maker howled with delight.

The clay continued to crack; an eerie orange light was visible below the surface of the hardened clay. A hand reached up from one of the openings made from the breaking clay, followed by an arm, and then a shoulder. Zenatsu approached the doll and gingerly lifted it out of the mold.

From the mold, came the nude shape of a woman who resembled Kagome. Zenatsu took the Kagome doll into her arms and helped her to her feet. With a swift motion the doll maker returned with a clean set of miko robes and began to dress the doll.

Once Zenatsu had finished dressing the Kagome doll, the clay molding of another doll began to crack. A clawed hand shot out of the breaking clay, knocking the loose pieces off. A silver-haired figure rose from the mold, shaking the small lumps of clay from their tresses. The figure stood, twitching its white dog ears. Zenatsu sighed and grabbed a kimono and hakama for the Inuyasha doll.

Zenatsu tossed the clothing at the hanyou, who caught the items and donned them instantly. She turned away from the Inuyasha doll and looked to Harukichi.

"My work is nearly done. It won't be much longer now." She said with a small grin as a third mold began to crack.

-

Back in the East, Zetsuei had returned from delivering his message to the West. Shippou had returned from the land beyond the well mere moments before the Torayoukai stealth master had decided to head back home to the Eastern Lands. The kitsune had informed him that Sesshoumaru had received Mizumi's request and was on his way. Zetsuei received the news well and was relieved.

The Torayoukai had rushed off for the East, compelled to deliver this new information to the Nekoyoukai heiress. He had made it to the Eastern Lands in record time and before he knew it, he'd bolted through the palace gates and was already inside the courtyard, steadily progressing forward until he reached his desired destination.

Zetsuei approached the great hall where Mizumi sat, waiting impatiently. She appeared restless and a bit nervous. The moment he appeared, the Nekoyoukai girl looked up sharply and snapped into a stoic and unflinching persona.

"What news?" Mizumi asked, her expression serious.

"Sesshoumaru-sama has received your request and is making his way here as we speak. He shall arrive soon." Zetsuei replied in a level voice.

"Sou ka. That's a relief then. I guess I can finally stop worrying about that. I have more pressing matters to deal with now, like how I'm supposed to explain to the Nekoyoukai everything that's happened and somehow not start a massive-scale rebellion or cause the entire clan to disband." The Nekoyoukai heiress said aloud, speaking more to herself than anyone in the room. "What am I going to do?" She continued, her voice taking on a tone of desperation. "I'm not ready to lead yet. Everyone probably hates me for running away from my own wedding! They'll think I'm a coward and will expect me to run away from my responsibilities as Taisho! They'll never trust me…"

"Mizumi-sama," The Torayoukai scout began slowly. "Tell your people the truth. If they cannot believe that truth, then that is their own problem. You are not responsible. They should respect and honor you as their rightful Taisho of the East."

The Nekoyoukai girl smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. "Hai, you're right, Zetsuei. I'm worrying too much. Arigatou."

-

Sesshoumaru and Tsurugi made their way to the East, deciding to travel on foot since their youkai abilities allowed them to become a speeding orb of light. They had left the West a few hours ago after letting the others remain behind once they had returned to the Sengoku Jidai.

"Chichiue, how much further?" The Taisho heir asked.

The taiyoukai turned to his son and replied, "Not far."

Tsurugi nodded in understanding and redirected his attention to the matter at hand. This 'ceremony', whatever it was, was going to officially designate Mizumi as Taisho. The Inuyoukai boy could only wonder what sort of thing he was about to witness.

They continued onward and increased their pace briefly but then began to slow until the pair came to a stop. The orbs of light that they had been running inside of for the past several hours had almost blocked their view of the world around them. Now that they had stopped running, Tsurugi could finally see and took in his surroundings.

A large gate plated with gold towered several hundreds of feet over the two youkai. The doors were massive and heavy looking, emblazoned with an image of a cat made of a golden flame. Two Nekoyoukai guards stood at either side and cocked their heads curiously at the new arrival.

"Tsurugi, we've arrived." Sesshoumaru said at last, his voice calm despite the fact that the two guards were now reaching for their weapons.

"Chichiue, didn't they know we were coming?" Tsurugi inquired, sounding slightly alarmed.

"Oh, I think they will know now," The taiyoukai replied, his trademark smirk in place.

Sesshoumaru reached for the hilt of his newly-acquired Bakusaiga and slowly began to draw the blade. Numb, Tsurugi drew his own blade, trying to shake off the chills that suddenly began to run down his spine from the massive killing intents of the guards and his own father.

Then, rather unexpectedly, the gate opened.

"Oi! Put those away before you hurt yourselves!" A female voice snapped at the guards.

The two Nekoyoukai guards turned to see a young Nekoyoukai girl with hair the color of night and fiery sapphire eyes standing in the open gateway.

"Mizumi-sama!" The pair chorused, sheathing their weapons.

The Nekoyoukai heiress ignored the two guards and focused her attention on Sesshoumaru and Tsurugi, both of whom were sheathing their blades as well.

"Yo!" Mizumi called brightly. "Let's get started, ne?"

* * *

**A/N:** OMGZ I'm sooooooooooooooooooo sorry about the two month gap again. gets killed by Carrie-chan I kid you not; my entire school year so far has been RIDICULOUSLY busy. I had to write two four-page reports AND get started on a political involvement project in January, and then at the beginning of February, I had to help work the Presidential Primary Election at the local district here as part of my political involvement project. I got to hand out ballots to all the voters, and my day that day started at 4:30am and didn't end until roughly 11:00pm that night. So it was a LONG day. Then on the day before Valentine's Day I donated blood again so I've been tired and weak, with my left arm out of commission. And on the day before that, (February 12) I was helping my mom put together office chairs and accidentally stabbed myself in a capillary at the base of my left index finger with an EXACTO® knife. What made it worse was that now that second semester's begun, the band is playing again and it just so happens that the spot where I stabbed myself is coincidentally, the EXACT spot I need my flute to rest on my left hand so I can play it properly and hold it, so my cut hasn't been able to heal as well since it's had to endure a fair weight of silver being pushed against it for an hour for a week straight. In any case, when people say "Oh senior year is easy, you're going to have SO much fun!" Don't believe them. It's all lies! My senior year's been hell! So I can only hope to put out Ch 19 sooner, but I can't make any promises. Next month I'll be hearing back from colleges to see if I got accepted. The waiting game will soon come to an end. Boy, am I anxious! Anyways, I'll shut up and go away. Again, I'm so very sorry that this one took so long to finish and upload. I'll try to do better next time! So please don't kill me! X.x;; Ja! Review and feel free to yell at me for being a lazy bum who watches Bleach all day and plays Guild Wars all night and gets little to no writing done at all! I need to be yelled at for pursuing other hobbies instead of writing like I should. XP So please, yell at me for being slow and demand that I work faster next time! Okay, ja matta ne, I'm going now! Until next time, whenever that is…bai!


	19. Succession

**A/N:** And hey guys here we are again! To do the disclaimer this time is umm…ah hell, Harukichi-teme, go for it!

Harukichi: Aki no teme-  
Me: OI! NANI!  
Harukichi: My apologies, Aki no baka-  
Me: Ahem…points at Dragon Man sharpening a katana with a massive sharpening stone  
Harukichi: pales and continues Um, I mean, Aki-san pauses and sees my nod of approval and continues does not own Inuyasha, Naruto, Star Wars, Memoirs of a Geisha, Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, or anything she's alluded to or referenced in her stories. She owns her plot and her characters. Zetsuei belongs to JediMasterAJK and Mizumi, Kyoriko, Miseru, and Ikarisu belong to Carrie. Inuyasha characters respectively belong to Takahashi Rumiko-san, whom Aki-san is beginning to get very irritated with due to all the recent Inuyasha manga chapters being cliffhangers with nothing actually happening. However, this is no time to brood. Without any further time to waste, here is chapter nineteen.

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: Succession

Mizumi motioned Sesshoumaru and Tsurugi forward, through the open Eastern gate. The pair of Inuyoukai followed after her without a word, taking note that once they were inside, the gates closed behind them.

Several pairs of Nekoyoukai eyes stared curiously at the newcomers, many looking confused and startled, while a few looked outraged. Tsurugi tensed slightly, sensing the massive killing intents radiating off those livid Nekoyoukai.

"Don't pay them any attention," Mizumi said, sensing the Inuyoukai boy's uneasiness.

"Hai," Tsurugi murmured, his nerves calming slightly.

"Besides, I won't let them hurt your pretty little head." The Nekoyoukai girl continued with a smirk.

The Taisho heir scowled and his face reddened. "Nani? What's that supposed to mean?"

Sesshoumaru made a small noise that sounded halfway between a cough and a laugh. Tsurugi immediately glanced at his father to find that the taiyoukai had been smiling for a brief moment before reverting back to his usual expressionless self.

"It means, Tsurugi, that Mizumi-sama is ensuring our safety while we remain here," The taiyoukai said quietly with a small smirk.

Tsurugi merely grunted in reply and allowed himself to be guided to their intended destination, which appeared to be the royal palace. The massive building loomed ever closer and the Nekoyoukai they passed on their way began to follow behind them a few paces, staring at the two Inuyoukai intently.

"Why is everyone following us?" Tsurugi asked in a whisper.

"They're accompanying us to the ceremony. The clan is to be the official witnesses of my appointment." Mizumi answered calmly.

"Oh, sou ka."

"Nothing to worry about."

The trio kept walking until at last they reached the gateway that led to the palace courtyard. The guards saluted Mizumi and wrenched open the doors where they were greeted by Mamoru, Miseru, Kyoriko, and Ikarisu.

"Excellent, we're just about ready to begin," Mamoru said at once. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I'm sure you've brought the necessary materials?"

The taiyoukai nodded.

"Good, well, I am right in assuming Tsurugi-sama is here to observe?"

Again, Sesshoumaru nodded. Mamoru clapped his hands together excitedly.

"Then we've not a moment to waste. Miseru, Kyoriko, Ikarisu, take Mizumi-sama for a bath and bring out Mitsuki-sama's kimono and the other item."

"Hai, Mamoru-san!" The three maids chorused, escorting Mizumi away.

-

Kyoriko rifled through the closets until she at last found what she was looking for. The maid pulled out a large wooden lacquered box and gently took off the lid and lifted the dark aqua blue kimono out of its case. The kimono had belonged to Mizumi's mother, Mitsuki, and it was emblazoned with the Neko clan crest on the back, a cat, depicted in an image of golden flame. This very same kimono was the one that Mitsuki had worn when she acted as Taisho, before she had married Masashi, who then stripped her of her status by marrying her.

The maid smoothed the creases from the silk and approached Mizumi with the kimono. The Nekoyoukai girl was pulling on her innermost layer and tying the obi while Ikarisu slipped the yukata on over it. At Ikarisu's nod of approval, Kyoriko unfolded the beautiful kimono and helped Mizumi into it.

"Can you feel it, Mizumi-sama? Can you feel your mother's power resonating within you while you wear this?" Kyoriko asked. "She wore this kimono when she was Taisho. Her strength and her wisdom are now yours."

Mizumi had closed her eyes, as if sensing this newfound strength flowing into her body. "Hai, I can feel it," She whispered. "It's almost like she's here with me, standing beside me."

Both Kyoriko and Ikarisu smiled. "You look so much like your mother, Mizumi-sama. She would be so proud of you." Ikarisu said.

The Nekoyoukai girl smiled and nodded a thank you. At that same moment, Miseru appeared with Mamoru in tow.

"We're ready to begin now," Mamoru began, his tone serious.

"Well, let's get this over with then," Mizumi replied quickly.

"But there's a small problem."

"A problem? What sort of problem?"

"The Tora no Taisho has found out that Sesshoumaru will be performing the ceremony. He's quite upset that you chose someone of the West, our supposed sworn enemy over him."

Mizumi scoffed. "Ha! As if I'd want to be made Taisho by a pseudo-Taisho like him. Everyone knows what he did to the _real_ Tora no Taisho." The Nekoyoukai girl said bitterly.

"His son is not aware of it. The Tora clan has been sworn to secrecy and the penalty for any who dare speak the truth of that day is death. The boy is lucky enough that Noboru was generous enough to adopt him as his own and take him into his ranks as a personal scout. After Zenjiro-sama's passing, Noboru, the bastard, forcibly overtook the Tora clan and created the law that prevents any within the clan from discussing the events of eighteen years ago." Mamoru explained.

"Hmph. I see…well, is his son going to watch the ceremony? Because if Noboru no teme wants to confront me over this, the truth about Zenjiro-sama's death will be revealed."

"Undoubtedly so. He'd probably like to stand witness."

The Nekoyoukai girl sighed and slapped a hand to her forehead in exasperation. Mizumi could already tell. It was going to be an interesting afternoon.

-

At last all the Nekoyoukai of the East had assembled and settled in the main palace hall. The soon-to-be Taisho entered the room, followed by her maids, Mamoru, Sesshoumaru, and Tsurugi.

The level of idle chatter that had filled the room died down instantly as Mamoru turned to the crowd of gathered clansmen and prepared to speak. Several pairs of eyes and ears were on the physician in an instant who cleared his throat quickly before he began.

"My friends, my brothers, my kin, we are gathered here this day to bring the East to a new era of glory," Mamoru began in a clear voice that seemed to reverberate throughout the room. "Today we give our clan direction and provide for it a shining new beacon of hope. This hope is Mizumi-sama! She will lead us forward, out of these corrupted times and into years of flourishing prosperity. Here in this hall, we shall make history. Mizumi-sama is to rightfully claim the title of Neko no Taisho, an honor bestowed upon her father, and her honored mother before her! Mizumi-sama shall reign and she will be just and virtuous, strong and compassionate, and she will ensure a corruption-free rule and use her power for the good of all others and not for herself alone,"

The royal physician paused for a moment, observing the bright and wide-eyed Nekoyoukai in the crowd along with a highly disgruntled looking Noboru. The Tora no Taisho seemed to be thoroughly infuriated by the doctor's speech. It seemed to be taking much of the Torayoukai's self-control to not lash out in anger.

Mamoru clapped his hands together in a brisk manner and looked around at the gathered Neko clan members. "Ma, let's not delay this any longer. Sesshoumaru-sama, if you would please begin," He said, turning toward the Inuyoukai.

The taiyoukai nodded and stepped to the very center of the raised platform in the hall and motioned Mizumi over. The Nekoyoukai girl walked over, appearing slightly nervous.

"Kneel," Sesshoumaru instructed.

Immediately, Mizumi dropped to her knees.

"Ichitani Mizumi, you are here before this audience to receive the honorable title of Taisho of the East. Before this honor is bestowed upon you, Ichitani Mizumi, you must be prepared to face the responsibilities and trials you shall face as head of the Nekoyoukai clan. Are you prepared to accept these burdens?"

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama, I am prepared to do what is expected of me as Taisho and rightful leader of the clan."

"Are you willing to serve the people of your clan and lead them to the best of your ability as long as you shall live or decide to step down from your honored post? Do you swear to fulfill these duties?"

"I swear. I swear on my honor, on my life, that I will lead for the greater good of the clan and not for myself and I will serve until my dying breath or until I step aside to let another take my place."

Sesshoumaru gave a curt nod and glanced at the gathered Nekoyoukai and few Torayoukai.

"Any objections to this appointment of position?" The taiyoukai asked.

The Tora no Taisho cleared his throat loudly. "Sesshoumaru, I believe I have an objection to make," He said clearly.

"Oh?" Sesshoumaru inquired, raising an eyebrow with mild interest.

Mizumi's eyes narrowed as she turned her head to look at the Tora clan head.

"I actually wish to question the entire ceremony altogether," Noboru, the Tora no Taisho continued. "Mizumi-sama, why is it that you've chosen Sesshoumaru to perform the ceremony? Surely _I_ could have done it myself and spared Sesshoumaru from coming all the way out from the West. Speaking of the West, because Sesshoumaru is the taiyoukai of the Western Lands, and the Nekoyoukai and Torayoukai clan's sworn enemy, would that mean that you, Mizumi-sama, are siding with the Western cause? You do realize this makes you look like you're an ally to the West, Mizumi-sama."

The Nekoyoukai girl scoffed. "Are you upset that I chose to call upon Sesshoumaru-sama's aid instead of yours?" She asked coldly.

"I'm upset that you've sided with the enemy! You let a lowly DOG within these gates! Now these lands are infested with Inuyoukai filth! This could have been avoided if you let someone of far _nobler_ blood appoint you." The Tora clan head snarled.

"I refuse to gain my position from a fake Taisho like you! You unjustly appointed yourself to that position! You neither earned nor deserved it! You treacherous, vile, power-hungry, vengeance-seeking bastard! I will not let your taint reach me! You stole the rightful heir's place and you hold it still! So no, Noboru, I won't have you appoint me. Not when you aren't the true Taisho of the Tora clan."

The Tora no Taisho flinched and his face contorted into various stages of anger before his temper seemed to settle and at last, Noboru summoned his personal guard and turned his heel and left the room without another word, his guards following after him.

An uneasy silence filled the room; many of the youkai present appeared stunned, unable to believe what they had just heard. But none were as shocked as Zetsuei. It was in that moment that Zetsuei realized he had been working for the goals and aspirations of a corrupted man.

"Any other objections?" Sesshoumaru asked after a few moments of silence. 

None made any inclination that they had anything to say in protest to Mizumi's appointment. 

"No one?" The taiyoukai inquired again. 

Still, more silence.

Sesshoumaru then looked to Mamoru, who nodded instantly and rushed out of the hall. The taiyoukai redirected his attention to the Nekoyoukai girl and drew Tenseiga. He raised the Sword of Healing above his head in a ceremonial sort of way and brought it down gently onto Mizumi's left shoulder and swept it over to the girl's right shoulder an instant later.

"Rise, Ichitani Mizumi, Neko no Taisho of the East."

The Nekoyoukai girl got to her feet and Sesshoumaru sheathed Tenseiga and stepped back a few paces as Mamoru returned with a long, thin object clutched in his grip. As he came closer, Mizumi could clearly see it was a sword.

Mamoru knelt before the Nekoyoukai girl and held the sheathed sword out towards the newly-appointed Neko no Taisho.

"Mizumi-sama, please take this sword. It is the inheritance left to you by your honored mother, Mitsuki-sama. Take it! Take Hyorimetsu in your grasp and receive the gift that the noble lady, your mother, has left you until this very day!" The physician said imploringly.

The Neko no Taisho nodded numbly and drew Hyorimetsu from its sheath, feeling a strange lightness in her hand. The katana fit perfectly in her grip and seemed virtually weightless. It was undoubtedly a beautiful sword, a blade most befitting of a Taisho. Mizumi grinned. She turned to the crowd of her kinsmen and they sprang into a loud cheer.

Mizumi bowed to the gathered Nekoyoukai and sheathed her sword once she righted herself. She then approached the throne where none but the Taisho could sit upon and slowly took a seat.

The hall was filled with roars and happy banter, but that died down instantly once Mizumi raised a hand for silence.

"My honored clansmen, my brothers, my sisters, there is something you must know. It is the truth of my predecessor's passing, my father," Mizumi began slowly.

Everyone had their eyes on the Nekoyoukai girl, rapt with attention, waiting for her to continue.

"The truth is my father, Masashi, was killed in the recent battle for Nagashino Castle. He died by Sesshoumaru-sama's sword," She continued, pausing a moment for the reactions of her clan.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is Masashi-sama's murderer! You _dare_ bring him here? After what he's done!" A voice yelled in outrage.

"Mizumi-sama, perhaps Noboru-sama of the Torayoukai spoke the truth about you!" Other voices chorused.

"Silence! Allow me to explain the situation," Mizumi interrupted them.

At once all the cries of protest ceased.

"As you know, Sesshoumaru-sama and my father were fighting on opposing sides. Thus, the death of either one of them was inevitable. Sesshoumaru-sama just so happened to be the victor. My father tried to kill me on that battlefield. Sesshoumaru-sama graciously spared me my father's blade and saved me. As you can see, I owe Sesshoumaru-sama quite a debt. Therefore, as of today, the Inuyoukai clan is no longer our enemy. The animosity stirring between our two clans is constantly fueled by an old, non-existent grudge. Right now is not the time to bother ourselves with drawing lines in the sand between others. We need to focus on the true evil at hand," She explained, pausing a moment before going on. "Earlier our lands were graced, or cursed I should say, by Harukichi's presence. I was set to marry Harukichi, but I fled, not wanting to marry such a vicious and cruel-hearted man. He was a man who sought power and his supposed 'affections' were mere illusions that _anyone_ could see through. Unfortunately, my father was blind to the truth and could not see what kind of person Harukichi truly is. That man only wants what's best for himself. Harukichi is trying to obtain the power of both Kaze-hime and the Shikon no Tama. If he is allowed to obtain one or both of them, it will mean the end of life as we know it now. We cannot allow this to happen. In order to stop Harukichi from succeeding, we will need all the aid we can get. As the saying goes, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' We must band together and become stronger with the Inuyoukai clan's aid."

Mizumi sighed and looked around the room at the conflicted expressions of her kin. "I guess after all of that you all will have some questions," She said after a few moments.

"Iie, Mizumi-sama," A lone voice replied. "I think all of us are in agreement here, but we will gladly help defeat our new enemy. Your words ring true, Mizumi-sama. You are our leader now and we will follow you wherever your path takes you."

The Nekoyoukai girl grinned and nodded gratefully.

'_Arigatou, minna-san…_' She thought with a sigh of relief.

-

It had been an hour since the official ceremony had concluded and all the Nekoyoukai who had gathered in the main palace hall had long since departed, leaving the palace quite empty and uneasily quiet.

Mizumi sat outside, overlooking the courtyard, lost in thought. She'd been Taisho for only a mere matter of minutes and already had much to deal with. For one, she'd barely avoided starting a war between her clan and the Tora clan. Then she had to clean up the mess her father had made during his time as Taisho. It would undoubtedly take ages to sort it all out.

The Nekoyoukai girl sighed, fisting her hands into the large sleeves of her mother's kimono.

Footsteps sounded near the door leading to where she sat on the wooden deck that ran around the courtyard and Mizumi tensed, her grip on her sword tightening where it rested propped against her shoulder. A knock sounded on the other side of the door and the youki that permeated the young Neko no Taisho's senses was Tsurugi's. At once her grip went slack, no longer feeling threatened.

"Hai?" Mizumi asked.

The door opened and Tsurugi stepped onto the deck and took a seat next to the Nekoyoukai girl without saying a word.

"What is it? Did you need something?" The girl prodded.

The Inuyoukai boy seemed to come out of a daze, snapping back to his senses. "Oh, iie…" He replied slowly. "But…I wanted to ask you something, Mizumi-sama," He began.

"Please, Mizumi will do. I owe you and your father a great debt for what you both have done today,"

"Hai, Mizumi."

"Now you were saying?"

"I wanted to ask you something—something about what you said earlier at the ceremony—but I don't know if it'd be proper or even my business to ask you about it,"

"Is it about what I said to the Tora no Taisho?" The newly instated Taisho inquired.

"Hai, sou desu. How did you know?"

"I had a feeling," She replied, pausing for a moment. "So, what did you want to know about it?"

"You said that the current Tora no Taisho is a fake. What did you mean by that?"

Mizumi sighed and placed a hand against her brow. Tsurugi immediately noticed the girl's actions and attempted to take back what he'd said.

"Anno, if it's too much to ask, you don't have to answer that. I didn't mean to pry,"

"Iie, mou daijoubu desu, Tsurugi. It's my own fault for mentioning it. I will tell you,"

She sighed and lowered her hand and turned to face the future Taisho of the West and stared at him intently.

"Noboru murdered the real Taisho and forced his way onto the throne."

"Nani! Then who was the real Taisho?"

"The real Taisho was named Zenjiro, Noboru's elder brother."

"He killed his own brother? He shouldn't be Taisho at all! That's treason! How come no one found out about it? Surely, someone else who was of worthy stature should've been appointed in Noboru's stead. He should've been executed."

"Hai, I know that. But Noboru outlawed discussion of how he came to the throne. Anyone caught talking about it or showing any sign of trying to replace him would be killed. The worst part is, Zenjiro had a son and Noboru knowingly stole the throne from him."

"Then what you said today, it'll stir up the truth again, won't it?"

"Hai. And now the rightful heir is old enough to take his proper place on the Tora clan throne. Back then it wasn't as heinous as a crime as it seemed. Zenjiro's son was only a year old or less."

"What will happen if the rightful heir finds out what the clan has been keeping secret since he was an infant?"

"Undoubtedly, he will try to reclaim his position and ensure that Noboru receives what he deserves. But it is possible that he may blame the clan for their cowardice and not doing what is right. It's always much worse for one who has been living a life of hardship and emptiness suddenly find that their life was truly meant for ease and fulfillment. They'd be angry because all their suffering was unjust and in vain."

"And what will you do, Mizumi? I'm sure that Noboru-teme will blame you for everything if the true heir ends up finding out the truth," Tsurugi asked, leaning toward the girl intently.

"I'm not sure, but undoubtedly I will have made myself a powerful enemy in the Tora clan and will become a target," The Nekoyoukai girl replied, staring directly into the Inuyoukai boy's intense amber-gold orbs.

"Ma, then I hope you'll take comfort in knowing that I am here to protect you," He whispered.

The space between the two was closing in. Both the Nekoyoukai girl and Inuyoukai boy seemed magnetized and were being drawn closer and closer. They were only a few inches away; Mizumi tilted her head back as Tsurugi raised his hand to caress her cheek.

Then the door slid open again and the pair sprang away from one another faster than one could blink. But it was too late. Sesshoumaru had already seen them; a smirk graced the taiyoukai's lips as he glanced from one to the other.

The pair bore guilty expressions and refused to make eye contact with one another. The taiyoukai noticed and raised an eyebrow in amusement. He said nothing to them; he figured they'd be far too terrified of being caught for quite a long while before they'd attempt anything like _that_ again. Not that Sesshoumaru minded, it was just a bit too soon after the coronation, the battle, everything.

Sesshoumaru turned away and closed the door behind him, leaving the speechless pair of young youkai behind. In any case, if those two decided to pursue something other than a friendship, it would be best if they waited.

-

When the tension in the air had finally lifted, Tsurugi finally found his voice. "A-Anno…I guess it's about time my Chichiue and I leave then. You've got a lot of work to take care of as the new Taisho, so I'd hate to have to be a burden for your clan," He began, speaking slowly and almost hesitantly.

Mizumi blinked and nodded. "Hai, I do have a lot of things that need to be taken care of," She replied. "Perhaps we can meet again one day, after all the wrongs my father had done are righted, ne?"

The Inuyoukai boy nodded in agreement. "Until then, Mizumi-sama," He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Ja matta."

"Ja."

Tsurugi stood and walked out the door, after his father. And before she knew it, Tsurugi was gone. All she could see was a pair of shining speeding orbs of light vanishing below the horizon.

'_Sayonara…second man to love me…_'

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry this is shorter than normal, I've been really, really busy and I've been trying to keep up with school among other things. But hey, at least it's better than last time! XP Anyway, I'll shut up and quit rambling. And Carrie-chan, gomen nasai! Hopefully this makes it all better! XD Ja matta ne until next time! Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARRIE!


	20. A Puppeteer At Work

**A/N: **And we're back again, without any delays, here's Zenatsu to do the disclaimer! But first, I've received one response from the colleges I applied to and I can happily say that as of March 11, 2008 I have been accepted to University of California Irvine! YAY! Now to wait for UCLA and UC Santa Barbara…anyways, Zenatsu, take it away!

Zenatsu: Aki-san doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, and anything else she might've referenced in this story. She owns her plot and her characters. Zetsuei is the property of JediMasterAJK aka RenegadeAmish and Mizumi, Miseru, Ikarisu, and Kyoriko are the property of Carrie. And now my master plan begins! Chapter Twenty!

* * *

Chapter Twenty: A Puppeteer At Work

The gates of the West loomed closer as Tsurugi and Sesshoumaru made their approach. They had slowed down considerably from the pace they had kept while leaving the East, and walked almost lazily towards the massive archway that served as the entrance to their homeland.

Guards had long since noticed their lord's approach and were already milling about and preparing to open the massive gate doors. As Sesshoumaru and Tsurugi neared the gate and were mere steps away, the doors began to open until they were opened wide enough to admit the two Inuyoukai inside before promptly shutting.

"Okaeri!" Hana said with a smile, reaching out to embrace her son and husband in each arm. "I hope you had a pleasant trip?"

"Hai," Tsurugi replied quickly, not allowing his father to speak, having spotted the taiyoukai's trademark smirk in place. "I learned a lot today about youkai succession. It was very interesting."

"You behaved well, I trust?"

"Of course Hahaue, I would never do anything that would bring shame upon our family."

Sesshoumaru made a small noise that sounded like a cough but said nothing. The taiyoukai and Hana shared a knowing look. The miko-youkai raised an eyebrow curiously and Sesshoumaru shook his head as if to say "I'll tell you later." Hana nodded in understanding and redirected her attention to her son.

"Now then, I'm sure you're tired, Tsu-kun, ne? Have something to eat and get yourself off to bed." The woman said, dismissing her son.

Tsurugi did as bidden and quickly turned away and walked out of sight. Once he was out of hearing range, Hana turned to her mate at once.

"What happened?" she asked intently.

"Nothing to be too worried about, Hana-chan," Sesshoumaru replied.

"What do you mean?" The miko-youkai questioned, now sounding quite confused.

"It seems Tsurugi and Mizumi have taken an interest in one another," The taiyoukai began.

"Oh?"

Hana smiled and sighed lightly. She said nothing for a few moments and sighed again. "Is there anything else I should know?" she asked.

"Mizumi may call upon us sometime soon in the future," Sesshoumaru answered, his voice now taking a much more serious tone.

"Has Masashi ruined the East so terribly?"

"Iie, it's just that during the ceremony, there were some brief hostilities,"

"Hostilities?"

"Apparently, the current Tora no Taisho is not the rightful ruler of the clan. He gained his position through an act of treason and swore his clan to secrecy about the matter, the penalty being death, should anyone decide to break their silence."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"This information was made public before the entire Nekoyoukai clan. It will undoubtedly raise many inquiries. The Tora no Taisho won't want to explain himself. He'll see Mizumi as the cause of all the questioning going on and will see fit to attempt to eliminate her. Should he make such an attempt, I feel it would be best to lend her our aid in order to protect her from harm. The East is already vulnerable as it is. If they were to lose their Taisho after just being appointed, an unimaginable amount of chaos would ensue."

"Hai, wakarimasu."

-

Zetsuei stole silently into the Tora clan's hall of records. It was in this room he would find out the truth. He had overheard Mizumi's private conversation with Tsurugi. The moment he'd heard that the Tora no Taisho was not the man he'd claimed to be, thousands of questions began to cloud his thoughts.

"_Noboru murdered the real Taisho and forced his way onto the throne."_

Traitor. What did he have to gain by doing that? Why?

"_The real Taisho was named Zenjiro, Noboru's elder brother."_

What kind of monster could kill their brother? Disgusting bastard. It made Zetsuei sick.

"_Noboru outlawed discussion of how he came to the throne. Anyone caught talking about it or showing any sign of trying to replace him would be killed. The worst part is, Zenjiro had a son and Noboru knowingly stole the throne from him."_

Who was Zenjiro's son? Zetsuei had to find him. Only then could the corruption in the East be reversed. Masashi and Noboru had certainly done their fair share in spreading the affliction of malice throughout the Eastern Lands. Mizumi could only do so much. It would take both her and the rightful Tora no Taisho to restore order.

Thus, the Torayoukai scout had found himself in his clan's hall of records where scroll upon scroll of the clan history lay stacked among countless numbers of shelves, covered with inch-thick layers of dust. The room appeared to not have been entered in many years; it was hard enough trying to pry the door open without having to deal with the mold that had caked itself in the door frame. It had taken all of Zetsuei's self-control to not simply rip the door out in its entirety. He had to be silent. He'd been long since outcast from the Tora lands. Noboru had seen to that. The moment the Tora no Taisho had seen Zetsuei's face on the battlefield at Nagashino, Zetsuei had been branded a traitor and banished from the clan. If Zetsuei were found here, it would most definitely mean trouble. No, he couldn't make a sound. He wasn't even supposed to be in this place.

He moved to the least dusty row of shelves, located towards the back of the room. Here the scrolls were dated to be roughly fifty years or less. His hands reached for a stack and pulled out a few scrolls and lightly blew the dust off the top, where the titles and labels of the scrolls were.

"Birth records," he read quietly off of one. "Accounts of the Taisho," The Torayoukai murmured after blowing the dust off a second and wiping it away with his hand.

Then towards the back of the shelf Zetsuei noticed a peculiar looking scroll. It was wrapped in an inky-colored material and completely obscured the traces of residual ink showing through the back of the scroll. It had a red tag on it and was sealed with the official clan wax seal, a golden tiger. Curious, Zetsuei reached for it and pulled it off the shelf.

"The Zenjiro Affair," he read off the scroll's red tag.

His eyes widened. This was what he had been searching for! All the answers were here in his hand. All he needed to do was break the seal. With trembling fingers, he reached for the seal. In a matter of moments, he would find out the truth. He would have his revenge for Noboru banishing him and attempting to kill him. Yes, it wouldn't be long now. Zetsuei would be able to put an end to that pseudo-Taisho's reign.

At once his hands ceased shaking, his hesitation gone. He broke open the seal and unrolled the scroll. He immediately began to read.

"_This is a record of the events regarding the untimely and violent death of the Tora no Taisho, Zenjiro. A murder most foul, and an uprising unheard of. By order of the new Taisho, brother of the deceased, and murderer of Zenjiro, Noboru has decreed for all knowledge of this incident be restricted and made forbidden to be discussed in open speech. Thus, this record shall be the only factual and accurate historical account of the truth of the Zenjiro incident. First and foremost, if this record falls into the hands of the true heir, this humbled scribe wishes that you take your rightful place and supplant this false noble…_"

Zetsuei continued to read the scroll hungrily, absorbing every shred of knowledge and truth he had gained. The scroll contained a history of Zenjiro's rule as Taisho and just when it was about to turn to Zenjiro's family, the rest of the scroll had been torn out. The Torayoukai scout looked at the torn edge with curiosity and raised the jagged edges to his nose. The barely traceable scent of Noboru lingered.

'_He took the rest of the scroll. He knew someone would want to find out the truth. I must know. He is not the true commander of the Tora clan._' He thought. '_All my life I have been taught to serve in the name of the clan. I was told to protect it and pledge myself to that cause, no matter what circumstances may occur. There is defilement within the walls of this honored land. I must serve my clan and purge this corruption and restore the proper order. These lands belong to Zenjiro's son. Noboru had no right to take them from him. It is my duty as a servant of the Tora no Taisho to ensure that the true heir will find his way to the throne. And I will stop Noboru myself and find the heir…yes, I will help cleanse the East of this plague of corruption and malicious lies._'

Zetsuei ran his hand over the torn edge of the scroll and sighed lightly. He re-wrapped the scroll and placed it neatly back in the shelf where he had found it. At that moment he heard a small noise. The Torayoukai scout stilled; the sound was very much like a footstep, muffled by the tatami mats. Slowly, Zetsuei turned and his magenta eyes locked with Noboru's.

"I knew you would come, Zetsuei," The pseudo-Taisho began. "I took the liberty of removing the rest of that scroll immediately after the massive battle at Nagashino Castle. I knew it wouldn't have been long before you found out about Zenjiro."

The young Torayoukai gritted his teeth and instinctively bared his fangs in anger. "Where is the rest of the scroll, Noboru?!" he demanded, dropping all titles of formality he had once bestowed upon the man that stood before him.

"Why do you care so much to learn the truth, Zetsuei? Why is supplanting me so important to you?"

"You don't deserve to rule! You stole away the birthright of Zenjiro's son for your own benefit! You took away the post that boy had rightful claim to possess! And for what? So you could better further your own twisted ideals?! You disgust me! To think that I once respected and admired you! Thank Kami-sama that my eyes have been opened to the truth of your nature!"

Noboru scoffed in response. "Sou ka," he began. "So that's how it is then. Very well. I have been most patient with you, Zetsuei, but I guess some children just never learn."

In a swift movement Noboru lunged at the Torayoukai boy and the most dangerous fight of Zetsuei's life began.

-

Left and right hard clay was cracking and breaking. Nine pairs of hands were pushing against their shell-like prisons and shaking the shattered fragments from their faces as they emerged. Zenatsu cackled with delight as doll after doll rose from the clay molds.

"Come to me children, come to mother," she crooned.

Slowly the naked forms of the newly-emerged dolls made their way to the woman who had once been Urasue's student. Zenatsu beckoned them and lovingly began to dress each one and much like a mother, and smoothed the creases from their clothing.

Then she noticed it. The two of the clay molds had not cracked at all and they remained as still as ever. Puzzled, Zenatsu walked over to them and began to break apart the hard-baked layer of dirt. The earth began to crack and soon the entire mold broke completely apart, revealing the pair.

The Toji and Reika dolls were visible for a second before both burst into a flurry of pure white feathers and ash, along with the mediums used to create them.

At that moment, Harukichi returned to witness the two dolls disintegrate.

"Zenatsu…what is the meaning of this?" he asked in a hard voice.

"You should have told me the level of power those two contained. My youkai power cannot work against those with strength that far outranks my own," The doll maker replied calmly. "I'm quite surprised though that the dolls I have made for Sesshoumaru, Hanajima, and the Suna Ryuu have sustained their forms. Although I can see they are wavering," she continued, glancing at each of the aforementioned dolls.

It was true; the three dolls appeared to not be entirely solid. Around the edges, they appeared slightly blurred and distorted. And after a few moments, the three dolls broke apart into a shower of clay shards and sand, leaving the unusual ink painting and hair ribbon intact within the remains of broken clay.

The rest of the dolls watched with mild interest but did not appear to be phased at all by the sudden "death" of their comrades.

"Were they too strong for you, Zenatsu-okaa-san?" asked the Tsukimisou doll in a flat voice.

Zenatsu nodded her head and sighed. "I was afraid this would happen, but it's to be expected. My darling girl, your parents are strong ones," she replied. "Harukichi-sama, I do hope that the rest will suffice for now,"

The San Ryuu nodded curtly. "Hai, their number does not matter. I just need something to keep my enemies occupied. The rest of your creations will be more than enough, provided they are indeed as good as you claim." he answered.

The doll maker smirked. "Oh you need not have any worries. I will show you that my dolls are _more_ than capable. Just give me the word and you shall see them do battle!"

"Then lure them here. Leak intelligence out to Sesshoumaru and his allies and alert them that I am in this area. I am their greatest foe. They will come. And when they do, you will strike."

"Hai, wakarimasu."

The dolls appeared to understand and wordlessly prepared themselves for combat while Zenatsu began to write a short letter that told of Harukichi's current location. She made two copies, borrowing her Mizumi doll's bracelet, stamped one with the Neko clan seal, and taking a similar bangle from her Tsukimisou doll, stamped it with the Inu clan seal. When she had finished, the doll maker sent for a pair of her regular servant dolls and gave a copy of each letter to the two servant dolls.

"Minami, go to the East and deliver this message to the Neko no Taisho, the daughter of Masashi, Mizumi," she instructed.

Minami nodded and bowed quickly before setting off.

"And you, Miyabi, you shall go to the West and deliver this to either the Inu clan's regents or the lord and lady themselves. But be as quick as possible. Their keen noses will pick out the scent of treachery from a mile off, so tread with caution."

The other doll, Miyabi gave a quick affirmative nod of understanding and bowed politely before heading out the same doorway that Minami had just gone through, set on a course due west.

Zenatsu sighed once more and eased herself into a comfortable position and shut her eyes to rest. It would be a long while before Harukichi's enemies would show up. It would be best to recover her strength while she could. She had been working tirelessly since she had retrieved the proper ingredients for the dolls and hadn't stopped for a moment's rest. Now that it was all over, the doll maker could feel the weariness settling into her bones like lead. Within moments she fell asleep.

-

Shippou sat outside in the courtyard staring at the sky. Since the massive battle at Nagashino castle so long ago, things had since quieted down. Although it still managed to be quite busy enough with Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Tsurugi running around in different directions all the time it seemed. The kitsune and his beloved Rin were more and more frequently acting as the ruling lord and lady than Sesshoumaru and Hana were. Not that Shippou or Rin minded the added responsibility, of course. If it weren't for the pair of them being in charge of the Western Lands, the two would undoubtedly be sitting around doing not much of anything else.

Today however, Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Tsurugi were currently at home in the West and attending to their responsibilities. This left Shippou in his current situation, sitting around lazily, with Rin somewhere not too far away. But unlike other days where the kitsune would while away his day lounging about somewhere comfortable, this one had an unmistakable amount of tension in the air.

It wasn't long before Shippou found out why. The guards at the south gate began shouting and running about frantically. Curious, Shippou got to his feet and approached the gate.

"What's going on here?" he called up to the guards.

A guard spotted the kitsune and bowed before replying. "There's a woman outside the gate who claims to have an urgent message for Sesshoumaru-sama or the regents," he replied.

Shippou cocked his head with mild interest. "Well, let her in and I'll see what she has to say."

"Hai, Shippou-sama."

The guard turned to his companions and shouted some orders and not long after, the gate began to open and the woman on the other side of the gate was revealed. Her figure, along with her scent entered the courtyard as the gate opened wider.

Shippou went still as his nose registered the scent.

'_This smell…reminds me of Kikyou. But this woman appears alive, however, she smells strongly of clay, just like Kikyou did. Yet, there's no trace of grave soil or bones on her anywhere. What is she?_' The kitsune thought with trepidation.

Once the gate had opened wide enough, the woman stepped through and greeted the kitsune.

"Kon'nichi wa, my name is Miyabi. I come from the south," she began politely.

"Shippou desu. I'm one of the regents here," The kitsune replied.

Miyabi bowed respectfully upon hearing Shippou's name and title.

"What business do you have here?" Shippou asked the strange woman from the south.

"Please, Shippou-sama, I was sent here by my mistress, Zenatsu-sama to inform you that your great foe, the one called Harukichi is currently in the Southern Lands. You must give this news to your lord. I fear that Harukichi will do terrible things in the South if he is not stopped." she answered, trembling terribly.

Shippou looked her over, staring at her pointedly to see if the woman was lying or not. She seemed to be telling the truth. The kitsune sighed and nodded to the woman and dismissed her.

"I will tell Sesshoumaru-sama of this straight away, you needn't worry."

"Arigatou gozaimasu."

Miyabi bowed low and quickly ran out through the still-open gate. Once she was out of sight, Shippou turned and headed back towards the palace, looking for Sesshoumaru.

-

Around the same time that Miyabi had encountered Shippou, Minami had reached the East and had managed to gain an audience with Mizumi herself.

"You wished to speak to me personally?" The recently-appointed Neko no Taisho asked in a calm voice.

"Hai, Mizumi-sama. My name is Minami, and I bring news from Zenatsu-sama of the South," The servant doll replied flatly.

"News? What news?"

"News of the man you once called your fiancé, Mizumi-sama."

"Nani?! You mean Harukichi?"

"Hai, sou desu, Mizumi-sama. Zenatsu-sama told me to tell you he is currently in the Southern Lands, plotting an attack. She advises it would be wise for you to strike now before his plans can come into effect."

"Is that all?"

"That was all I was instructed to tell you."

"Thank you, you may leave now."

Minami politely bowed herself out of the large antechamber, turned on her heel sharply, and walked out the door. The Neko no Taisho sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Kyoriko," she called.

The maid came forward.

"Please send for Sesshoumaru-sama of the West and anyone else he wishes to bring. I wish to request an audience with him to further discuss this new information regarding Harukichi's current position."

"Hai, Mizumi-sama."

At once, Kyoriko left the room and left Mizumi alone with her thoughts.

'_Harukichi…what are you up to?_'

-

Zetsuei stumbled and tripped, gasping for breath. He'd been running from the Tora lands for hours, bleeding profusely as Noboru and his men chased him out of the East. He could not turn back. Noboru would make sure to finish off the young Torayoukai. That much was certain.

'_I have to get away from here,_' The Torayoukai scout thought frantically.

He looked over his shoulder and saw that Noboru and a group of his most trusted generals were in hot pursuit. Zetsuei redirected his blurring vision back to the road ahead of him. The East-West Border was only a few miles away. Zetsuei's only hope was to seek aid in the Western Lands. He couldn't go to Mizumi. No, he couldn't endanger her or her people with his troubles. He had to go to the West. It was his only option.

Zetsuei struggled onward, ignoring his body's cries of protest. He reached into his dark yukata and pulled out a slightly blood-stained length of scroll. The missing piece. He put it back into his clothes and moved on, his primary focus now being able to survive long enough to make it to the West and seek aid.

-

Meanwhile, around the same time Zetsuei was fleeing the East, Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Tsurugi had departed from the West. Mizumi had summoned the three Inuyoukai, rather, just the two adults; the young Taisho heir had managed to convince his parents to allow him to tag along.

The trio had nearly reached the elegant Nekoyoukai palace, unaware of Zetsuei's current struggle to find them. It was pure convenience that the wind was carrying the scent of the young Torayoukai scout's blood far from the East and across the sea.

Within moments the golden gates of the East appeared before the three Inuyoukai nobles and towered high above their heads. The gates immediately began to open and Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Tsurugi stepped through where Mizumi greeted the trio from the other side.

"Kon'nichi wa Sesshoumaru-sama, Hana-sama…and Tsurugi-sama?" The Nekoyoukai girl greeted, saying the last name with a surprised reluctance.

"Hi," Tsurugi replied uneasily.

Mizumi's surprise soon melted away and became a smirk.

"So…what kind of excuse did you use to be allowed to tag along?" she asked with mild interest. "I specifically sent for your father and mother,"

"Am I not wanted?" The Taisho heir countered.

"Oh, now I never said that, Tsurugi."

She sighed and motioned the three to follow her. "Come, we've got serious business to discuss now," The Nekoyoukai girl began in a serious tone. "You've received the new information regarding Harukichi's location, I'm sure?"

"Hai," Sesshoumaru answered curtly. "Shippou, one of my regents kindly informed me that a woman stopped by with the news."

"Is that so?" Mizumi inquired with a cocked brow. "That's very interesting. A different woman had stopped by here to tell me the news as well," She sighed again. "We need to come up with a plan. I for one, know it would be a bad idea to rush after Harukichi without any formal process of operations."

"Hai, that does indeed ring true," Hana agreed.

The quartet fell silent and decided it would be best to reserve any further conversation of the matter for the safety of indoors, in case there were any spies or ill-doers afoot in the area.

-

Tsukimisou sat quietly in the courtyard resting her tired legs on a cool bench. She had a piece of gossamer fabric and was in the process of stitching an image of golden-threaded floral patterns into the veil-like material. (A/N: For those of you who saw "The Curse of the Golden Flower", Gong Li's character had a hobby of making those little scarf things and she made one for each of the palace soldiers while she was getting progressively more insane from the poison that was being put into her supposed 'medication'. Tsuki is doing more or less the same thing that Gong Li was with the scarf things.)

The Inuyoukai girl sighed as she continued to stitch, reminiscing to the days not long ago when she had been a maiko. It had only been a few months, but that distant past seemed an eternity away. So much had happened in the short span of time she had been away from Gion. She sighed again and gave her head a brief shake in order to clear her thoughts of memories of a time long past.

It was then that she noticed it, a smell of blood that seemed to get closer and closer to where she sat. She put down the fabric she'd been threading and stood, now completely alert. With cautious steps, she walked toward the direction that the scent was coming from. Tsukimisou did not have to walk very far. She hadn't gone more than ten paces when a dark figure came from over the palace wall and stopped in front of her.

The dark green hair of the newcomer was unruly and bloodstained and swayed slightly in the breeze. Tsukimisou gasped, upon recognizing who had come so hastily over the wall. Zetsuei's magenta eyes locked with Tsukimisou's golden ones and then his body began to go limp. Instantly, the Inuyoukai girl reached out and took the young Torayoukai's battered form into her waiting arms.

"Zetsuei-kun, who did this to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The Torayoukai scout turned his head to look at her and attempted to speak. The effort it took was too great, and Zetsuei's eyes closed. Tsukimisou, fearing the worst, pressed her head to his chest, and to her great relief, she could still hear the Torayoukai's heart beating within and felt his shallow breathing on her face.

She looked around frantically, trying to see if there was some way she could summon help. There was no one around and the guards on the gate were too far away for them to hear her if she yelled. Besides, Zetsuei slipping past them would raise questions. Plus, Shippou and Rin were covering for her mother and father in day-long conferences with advisors. She couldn't bother them for help even if she wanted to. Tsukimisou gritted her teeth in frustration, feeling the Torayoukai boy's blood beginning to seep into the fabric of her own clothes. She didn't have time for this.

With difficulty, she managed to get Zetsuei inside and somehow managed to get the Torayoukai scout into an empty room. Tsukimisou tied her kimono sleeves back and pulled back her hair and without wasting any time ran to fetch a basin of water and plenty of bandages. She returned to the room where she left Zetsuei, finding him just the way she left him and set the water and bandages aside. She sat down and noticed that Zetsuei's wounds had bled through his clothes and left his haori and everything else heavy and damp with blood.

Shyly, Tsukimisou removed the Torayoukai boy's blood-stained clothes and placed them aside.

'_This is NOT the time to be modest!_' The Inuyoukai girl scolded herself mentally before continuing her work.

She gave her head another shake and set in her mind and image of her mother using her miko powers to heal wounds. Tsukimisou held onto that image and began gathering her own miko powers into the palms of her hands and held them above the wound closest to where she sat beside Zetsuei's unconscious form.

A blue aura surrounded her hands and began to stop the bleeding. Tsukimisou repeated the process for each open wound, finding that doing so was heavily draining. When she had finished, she delicately cleaned each of the cuts, noting that some appeared as claw marks, others as stab wounds. She would have to find out what happened to him. Whatever it was, whoever was responsible was aiming to kill. Tsukimisou could clearly see that from the severity of the injuries.

Tsukimisou reached for the bandages and began to apply them, only to have Zetsuei flinch in his sleep. Carefully leaning over him, she pressed her lips to his forehead in order to calm him and hummed softly until the boy's tensed muscles relaxed before she drew away and continued. Zetsuei remained still, much to Tsukimisou's relief. Within a few minutes she finished tying off the last of the bandages and suddenly felt the fatigue from using her miko powers to heal for the first time hit her like a heavy weight. Without meaning to, her eyes fell shut and she slept at Zetsuei's side.

-

Zetsuei sat up rapidly with a hiss of pain. Tsukimisou stirred at once and looked and him, gently reaching out to ease him back down to rest. The Torayoukai boy was about to protest, but a serious glance from Tsukimisou halted all thoughts at once. He nodded in understanding and let the girl help him lie down again.

"Are you thirsty?" she asked timidly.

The Torayoukai shook his head. He looked around, realizing at last where he was. He had made it to the West and beside him was Sesshoumaru's daughter, the one he had saved. He breathed in lavender-like scent and found it mingled with the scent of his own blood. It was then that Zetsuei became aware that he had been stripped of his clothes and bandaged up. Tsukimisou seemed to sense his sudden awareness and flushed visibly.

"I'm sorry; I had to take them off. You'd bled through them," she explained embarrassedly.

Zetsuei was thankful that the girl could not see his own light flush and nodded once he had calmed himself. Then just as suddenly as he was calm, he was in a fierce panic.

"Is it still there? Do I still have it?" he asked suddenly, causing Tsukimisou to jump with surprise.

"What are you talking about?" The girl replied slowly.

"There was a torn bit of scroll in my haori. Please, tell me it's still there and intact."

The Inuyoukai girl nodded and walked over to where she had laid the Torayoukai boy's clothes and found the item at once. She held it up, leaving her question unvoiced. At the boy's nod of approval she returned to his side and was about to give it to him when she suddenly paused.

"What exactly is this?" she asked, her tone serious and laced with suspicion.

"The truth," Zetsuei replied.

"The truth about what? What truth?"

"Noboru is not the true Taisho." he said, not really answering her question.

Tsukimisou's eyes widened. A memory stirred in the back of her mind at the Torayoukai boy's words. Yes, her father and brother had mentioned that Mizumi had spoken of this matter with them. If Zetsuei meant this piece of torn scroll was the truth, then it would undoubtedly contain the name of the true heir to the Tora clan throne.

"Did you steal this?" she asked hesitantly.

"I had no choice."

"Who did this to you?"

"Noboru."

"Was he the one who had this too?"

Zetsuei nodded.

"Why did you take it? Why does the truth concern you so much?"

"I was raised to serve the Taisho. How can I serve if the one who holds the position is not the one I am to pledge my allegiance to? I have been fighting for all the wrong things my entire life. I wish for redemption by finding the true heir and making things right again."

Tsukimisou fell silent. She was at a loss for words. She understood Zetsuei's reasons. They were honorable, legitimate, worthy. Unlike her own desires. She stole away her parents' happiness for many years just so she could become something she was not allowed. Her own selfishness sickened her. Here was Zetsuei, nearly getting himself killed for all the right reasons. The girl looked upon him with a newfound sense of admiration and was unable to stop the tears that shimmered in her eyes from falling.

Zetsuei stilled and reached up to brush away the girl's tears.

"Are you crying for me? It isn't necessary." he said flatly.

His words only made Tsukimisou cry harder. She bit her lip and reached to brush her tears from her eyes, only to have Zetsuei catch her hand.

"Noboru…Noboru will pay for this…" she whispered, choking back sobs at the same time.

Tsukimisou couldn't tell the truth. She couldn't tell Zetsuei how bitter she felt inside for going off on her own without thinking of anyone else. How selfish she was! Everything Zetsuei had done was selfless. He cared not for himself, he only cared about others.

Somehow Zetsuei was able discern her feelings and before Tsukimisou could protest, he sat up and looked directly into her eyes.

"Don't compare yourself with me. I served others out of ignorance. I have not done what _I_ wanted until now. Your selfishness, however cruel to your family it was, is nothing to my betrayal to my clan. The moment I pledged my life to that man, I dishonored my people. So you may stop crying. I told you before, it wasn't necessary." he said.

The Inuyoukai girl nodded and forced a smile. "Hai," she murmured.

-

Zenatsu's dolls were now battle-ready. Harukichi looked upon them all with approval, a smirk upon his face. Miyabi and Minami had returned several hours earlier and informed Harukichi and Zenatsu that both Mizumi and Sesshoumaru had been alerted of the San Ryuu's whereabouts and were currently making battle preparations and organizing some form of strategy. Soon, they would arrive. But 'soon' was far too long for Harukichi to wait.

"Zenatsu," he called.

"Hai?" The crimson-haired woman asked.

"Make your dolls useful; have them stir up some trouble somewhere and lure our enemies here. Knowing Sesshoumaru, they'll be deliberating strategy and tactics for days. I've no more patience."

The doll maker nodded and turned to her dolls who had until then been resting comfortably around the shrine. They were now on their feet, their weapons ready, awaiting their master's command.

"You heard what he said. Go."

And in the blink of an eye, the dolls disappeared.

-

In a matter of moments, Zenatsu's dolls were wreaking havoc. News that Mizumi, Tsurugi, Inuyasha, Kagome, Mei Lhi, Kyo, Megumi, Tsukimisou, and Zetsuei were attacking the surrounding villages of the Eastern and Western Lands flooded in and reached the ears of the real versions of these supposed attackers.

"What the hell is going on?!" Mizumi yelled angrily.

"Harukichi has made his move," Sesshoumaru began. "And if it is not him, then someone else is taking advantage of this opportunity."

"Whoever it is isn't very patient. They obviously want us to chase after these 'copies' and will try to lure us into a trap." Hana continued.

"What do you suggest we do?" The Nekoyoukai girl asked.

"I would think that any of us who has a copy running loose ought to be notified," Tsurugi said. "If these people wanted our attention, they most certainly got it."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Hai, Tsurugi is right. We must alert the others and tell them to come with all due haste to the East."

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys sorry it took so long, but hey, at least it's finished. School's been murder, giving me more assignments than I can count. I've got three going for me already as it is. And I haven't started on any of them XP Senioritis is starting to hit me! NOOOO! But I'm thinking the main reason why I'm so lazy right now is because I'm sick with a cold, and I've been sick for a few weeks. So I'm sure once I recover I'll be back to my overachiever self again XP Anyways, ja ne until next time.


	21. Seeing Double

**A/N:** Hey and we're back! YAY! Well, as far as college goes, UCI accepted, UCSB accepted, and UCLA said no. And I'm _still_ upset about that. I wrote them two more essays along with my two personal statements, so essentially, FOUR essays, and they said no. After I did all that extra work. Damn them! Oh well. (Pouts) But whatever, I'm not gonna bitch and complain about it anymore, it's not worth it. I'm set to attend University of California Irvine this fall. I find it hilarious that I'll turn 18 and then two days later I get to go back to school. The California school system's birthday present to me! Happy 18th Birthday! (But it isn't _really_ my birthday. Not yet anyway.) Now go to school! XP Alright enough of that, disclaimer will be read by um…Kiba!

Kiba: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, and anything else that she's referenced in her fic. She owns her characters, plot, and stories. Mizumi, Mitsuki, Ikarisu, Kyoriko, and Miseru are the property of Carrie and Zetsuei is the property of RenegadeAmish, aka JediMasterAJK, aka A.J. Now without any further delay, here's chapter 21!

* * *

Chapter Twenty-one: Seeing Double

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango yelled as she tossed her massive boomerang.

The taijiya's weapon struck true and knocked back the blade of a very different Inuyasha. The hanyou was completely different. His amber-gold orbs were blank and his expression remained impassive. On top of that, he was attacking the village he used to live in so many years ago.

"Inuyasha! Snap out of it! What's wrong with you?!" The taijiya screamed at him as her boomerang returned to her hand.

Nearby, Miroku was dodging arrows from an equally impassive Kagome. "Sango! They must be possessed by something! They're being controlled somehow!" The monk shouted to the demon slayer as he quickly leapt backward to avoid another arrow.

"Who's manipulating them?"

However, Miroku couldn't respond. "Kagome-sama! If you can hear me, you have to overcome whatever is making you act this way! I know you don't want to hurt us or the villagers. We're you're friends, Kagome-sama!"

Kagome ignored him and responded with an arrow full of dark miko energy. At the same time, Inuyasha unleashed a Bakuryuuha right at Sango, who had suddenly frozen in complete shock and horror.

"SANGOOOOOOOOOO!!" Miroku yelled, reaching out to his beloved in desperation.

"HOUSHI-SAMAAAAAAAAA!!" she screamed, also reaching out for the monk.

"BAKURYUUHA!" A new voice yelled.

The second Bakuryuuha collided with the first and halted its path toward the taijiya, who looked skyward in amazement. Her eyes locked with a second Inuyasha who was accompanied by a second Kagome. The hanyou was standing on a branch of a tall tree with Kagome on his back. He quickly leapt down to the ground and stood before the figure that was his copy, sizing up his double. He scoffed and gently set Kagome down on the ground at his side before turning to address the demon slayer.

"Sango no baka! What're you just standing there for?!" he said, sounding irritated.

"But…if you're here, who is that?" The taijiya asked, looking immensely confused.

Inuyasha nearly rolled his eyes. "We don't have time for this! The point is, whoever sent them is gonna be surprised when I kick their ass!" The hanyou growled, charging at his copy.

The Copy-Inuyasha smirked and brought up his imitation Tetsusaiga to parry the real Inuyasha's attack. Enraged, Inuyasha swung Tetsusaiga only to be blocked every time. Then the hanyou got a lucky shot and connected an attack that knocked his copy back several feet.

"Not bad," The copy said, speaking for the first time. "But Zenatsu-sama made me better than you!"

Inuyasha scoffed in response. "Keh! Whoever this Zenatsu is, they did a real shitty job on trying to imitate me!"

With those words said, Inuyasha charged again, no longer holding back. The Copy-Inuyasha was stunned, just barely able to dodge each strike. His surprise cost him dearly though. The puppet found himself brush very near to death as Inuyasha's blade sliced diagonally across his chest. The copy pulled back at once and called the puppet-Kagome to his side before the pair disappeared.

Inuyasha wiped his brow and sheathed Tetsusaiga, turning to look over Miroku, Sango, and Kagome.

"Daijoubu desu ka, minna-san?" he asked them as he caught his breath.

"Hai, daijoubu desu," The three replied.

Silence filled the area for many moments, only to be broken by Sango.

"What's going on here?" she asked, voicing the question on everyone's minds at long last.

"I don't know Sango. But whatever it is, this Zenatsu has something bad in store for us." Inuyasha answered slowly.

"Then let things come as they may, we shall be ready for them." Miroku said, looking skyward.

Kagome looked up at the sky as well, shielding her eyes from the light of the sun.

'_Yes, we will be ready. No matter what happens, no matter what you throw at us, we'll make it through._'

-

Zenatsu turned to see her Inuyasha and Kagome dolls return, her eyes widening at the state of her Inuyasha doll.

"My dear," she cried, rushing over to the hanyou doll. "Who did this to you, my sweet? Who would dare hurt you?"

"Zenatsu-sama, it was the original. He found me attacking his old village and his former companions. He saw fit to fight me in order to defend them." The Inuyasha doll answered.

The doll maker gritted her teeth and fury flashed within the depths of her eyes before it quickly settled. "There, there, Okaa-san will get you all fixed up, ne? I'll make you _better_ than the original. Then you can repay him for what he's done to you. Ne?"

The Inuyasha doll nodded and allowed himself to be steered away by his creator.

'_Inuyasha, mark my words, you will pay for what you've done._'

-

A knock sounded at the door. Zetsuei looked up, sensing Tsukimisou's youki on the other side.

"Zetsuei-kun, I'm coming in," she called softly before sliding the shoji open and entering the room, her arms laden with fresh bandages.

She set the bandages down briefly to close the door and took them into her arms once again and approached the severely injured Torayoukai. The Taisho heiress took a seat at Zetsuei's side and with a brief glance his way as if to ask permission, she pulled down the blanket that covered the Torayoukai's body and started removing the blood-stained cloth strips and setting them aside.

The Torayoukai hissed slightly from his still-healing wounds being exposed to the open air. Tsukimisou sympathetically reached out and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, as if to say, "I'm sorry, I know it hurts, but I have to do it or else you won't get better." Zetsuei glanced her way and drew the hand she gripped his own close to his lips and lightly pressed a kiss upon it, in his own way saying, "I know what you must do, and I shall endure it."

Tsukimisou nodded and pulled her hand away, reaching for the fresh bandages, tying them snugly around the Torayoukai boy's exposed abdomen. After she finished wrapping up his torso and arms, the Inuyoukai girl couldn't help but blush crimson as she had to pull the blanket further down to reach the deep gouges in the sides of the boy's upper legs. As she did this, Zetsuei pointedly looked away, trying to concentrate on anything but what Tsukimisou was doing at present, finding the pattern on the walls quite interesting.

"There, I'm finished. You can relax now," The girl announced, pulling the blanket back up.

Zetsuei nodded and with Tsukimisou's help sat up. The Inuyoukai girl smiled at him and stood slowly, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Hungry?" she asked him.

He nodded. Tsukimisou nodded in return, leaving the room and coming back a few minutes later with two bowls of steaming rice and miso soup with hot tea. She had all these things laden on a tray and set them down at Zetsuei's side, taking up a pair of chopsticks and picked up some rice and let it hover before the Torayoukai's mouth.

"Tsukimisou-san, I think I'm capable enough to feed myself," he said.

The girl smiled and raised one of his arms with her free hand. The Torayoukai scout winced and grunted from pain.

"The cuts on your arm need to heal first. And seeing as you can't raise your own arm without it hurting, eating with it won't fare you any better," she replied in firm voice.

The boy nodded and resigned himself to his predicament and reluctantly opened his mouth to be fed. He chewed slowly, noticing that Tsukimisou was staring at him intently. She seemed to have something to say but she appeared too nervous to voice her thoughts.

"You have something you wish to say?" Zetsuei asked the Inuyoukai girl pointedly.

Tsukimisou jumped slightly, unaware of how easily her thoughts were read. "Hai," she whispered. "But I-I really don't think it's any of my business,"

"Then tell me anyway. I will answer you if I can, but if not I will simply speak nothing of the matter,"

Slowly Tsukimisou nodded and shoved down all her anxiety and all her nervousness and mustered her courage together and parted her lips to speak. "You said that Noboru did this to you," she said slowly, her voice still soft. "Why though? By the looks of it, it looks like he was trying to kill you, but he failed. What happened to you over there in the East? You came to me running, bleeding, and nearly dead. Why did Noboru have to do this to you? You've done nothing to him!"

Zetsuei sat silently, mulling over the Inuyoukai girl's words, before replying. "Hai, Noboru did do this. I was in the Tora clan Hall of Records searching for the identity of the true Tora heir," he began. "I myself do not understand why Noboru took the remaining piece of the scroll on the Zenjiro Affair. All I was able to learn from the section still in the Hall of Records was that Noboru killed his brother Zenjiro and forcibly overtook the throne under the pretense he was merely holding it for the true heir until he came of age. That of course, was a lie. And when I was searching for the truth of the great travesty of our clan, Noboru tried to kill me over it. But then again, I took your father's side at Nagashino. He has decided I am a traitor and a deserter then. For me to show my face again on the sacred clan's soil was probably a great insult to him,"

"What exactly happened to you that day? Tell me everything, please."

The Torayoukai sighed and nodded. He took a breath and began.

-

"_Why do you care so much to learn the truth, Zetsuei? Why is supplanting me so important to you?"_

"_You don't deserve to rule! You stole away the birthright of Zenjiro's son for your own benefit! You took away the post that boy had rightful claim to possess! And for what? So you could better further your own twisted ideals?! You disgust me! To think that I once respected and admired you! Thank Kami-sama that my eyes have been opened to the truth of your nature!"_

_Noboru scoffed in response. "Sou ka," he began. "So that's how it is then. Very well. I have been most patient with you, Zetsuei, but I guess some children just never learn."_

_At that moment, Noboru lunged at the boy, claws flashing and fangs bared. Zetsuei rapidly back stepped, dodging the pseudo-Taisho's attacks._

_A sensation of skin tearing ran through Zetsuei's senses, seeing Noboru's claws just barely glancing off his forearm. The wound wasn't too bad, but it was still bad enough to cause the Torayoukai scout some difficulty in moving it._

"_Ha! Weak! You are so weak, Zetsuei! To think you were once my finest, closest guard! Your time with Sesshoumaru's people has made your sword dull! You regained your emotions, boy! You've weakened yourself far more than you know!" Noboru roared, reaching for the katana at his waist._

_Zetsuei growled and reached over his shoulder for his own blade, his kodachi, just in the nick of time to parry a sweep that would've taken the boy's head clean off. The boy was so focused on the katana, the katana which was being wielding with only one arm._

_Then when it finally registered, it was too late. In Noboru's free hand, he had taken a wakizashi and ran its length through Zetsuei's chest. The Torayoukai boy coughed, severely out of breath. His lungs were refusing to fill themselves to their full capacity and at once, Zetsuei knew that the blade had definitely torn through one of them. He had to finish this fight quickly._

_Noboru laughed menacingly. "What's the matter boy? Don't go passing out on me! This battle is far from over!" he snarled._

_Zetsuei steadied himself, panting heavily and raised his kodachi. His face was set. Noboru planned to kill him. Zetsuei was getting nowhere; he wasn't planning on trying to kill his former master. If he hoped to survive, the Torayoukai boy knew that he'd have to come at the Taisho with the intent to kill._

_He charged with a plan in mind. He would make an obvious frontal attack but using his speed to his advantage, would quickly switch out and go from behind and go for the heart. It was a common assassination technique. It was the one technique that Zetsuei, in his earlier days of training would've killed Noboru with, had he been training with real weapons back then._

_Just as he had expected, Noboru readied himself to block from the front. As Zetsuei got closer, he sped up and practically disappeared from Noboru's sight and appeared again behind the Torayoukai leader and struck._

"_You think after all these years, I wouldn't know that attack? I was the one who taught you that technique! To think that you would actually try to kill me with my own work! You need to try a hell of a lot more if you want to succeed!" The pseudo-Taisho growled, his voice in a mocking tone._

_Noboru turned, now bearing a gash in his chest, but it was not very severe. Zetsuei held tightly to his kodachi, moving it with the older man's turn and sliced through the silk haori and inner robe, the remaining piece of scroll falling out. Zetsuei scooped it up at once, placing it securely inside his inner robe, and withdrew his kodachi and leapt upwards and tore through the shoji and ran out as fast as he could._

"_GUARDS! A traitor is loose! Catch him!" Noboru's voice roared after him._

_Zetsuei did not turn back._

_A few minutes later, the sound of hooves got his attention. The Torayoukai boy risked the chance to turn around and regretted it instantly. Noboru was riding after him with his generals, all of them either archers or experts in capture. The moment Zetsuei turned around, the archers fired and Zetsuei was struck in the legs. He stumbled momentarily, drawing his kodachi again and swiftly cutting off the arrow shafts and sheathed the blade again, still running, but much slower now._

_Another general hoped to take advantage of Zetsuei's decreased speed and threw a net. To his fury, Zetsuei dodged and urged his body to go faster._

"_They won't stop until I get to the East-West Border," he thought aloud. "I can't go to Mizumi, she'll be drawn into conflict and my presence will only endanger her people. I must get to the West and hope that Hanajima-sama is there,"_

_He kept running dodging arrows and various other forms of projectile or long-distance weaponry. His efforts paid off. At last he'd evaded them, if only temporarily. He retreated to the safety of a tall tree and sat upon one of the thickest branches to rest._

_As much as he didn't want to, he knew he had to take out the arrowheads from his legs. Gripping what remained of one of the arrow shafts firmly, he relaxed his muscles as much as he could and then swiftly yanked it out. The Torayoukai managed to hold back his urge to cry out. He gasped and then his hand moved to the next one. This time he didn't wait, he pulled out the whole thing immediately and tossed it aside. This process continued three more times. Then it got even more painful as the ones that had hit in his upper leg had no remaining shaft to hold onto._

_Zetsuei had no choice. Using a smaller dagger, he expanded the wounds just enough for him to be able to reach within and pull the shining blood-red iron arrowheads. By now, Zetsuei was in an incredible amount of pain. But he didn't have time to linger. He could hear the sound of horses' footfalls once more. He quickly sprinkled some herbs on his legs to help the blood clot and swallowed another, this one allowing him to feel no pain whatsoever, a kind of numbness to his entire body that still allowed him to control it and move freely._

_He kept running, passing the Nekoyoukai clan territory and a few other smaller clan countries. Noboru and his men were right behind him. The border was still a long way off and Noboru was catching up._

_It was only the knowledge that safety laid ahead for him within the Western Lands that kept Zetsuei going. He knew that Noboru wouldn't be so foolish as to pursue him into an enemy territory and risk yet another war between East and West. The past had had enough Inuyoukai versus Nekoyoukai wars. There was no need to add an Inuyoukai versus Torayoukai war to the books as well._

_This tiny shred of hope gave Zetsuei enough strength to push himself faster, and soon Noboru and his men began to fall behind._

"_FASTER!" Noboru shouted. "Don't let him escape!"_

_The border was nearer now. Zetsuei could see it. It was a river that ran between both sides, dividing it evenly. Beyond the river, towering high above was the castle where Sesshoumaru made his home. That was his goal. He ran towards the ribbon of blue he could just see, pushing his body to its limits._

"_My Lord!" One of the generals called out. "He means to cross into the Western Lands!"_

"_Then go faster and stop him!" Noboru roared, irritated that his general had voiced a thought that the pseudo-Taisho had long figured out._

_Zetsuei kept running until the sound of hooves faded away and the yell of Noboru's voice was lost to the wind. He quickly glanced back and saw no one. He gave a sigh of relief, deciding now was a good time to rest. The river was not far. If need be, he'd manage to sprint the distance and Noboru would be unable to follow._

_He went to sit with his back against a tree and reveled in the feel of being able to have a break from all the running he'd been doing. He looked and saw his legs were still bleeding and so was his chest, but he couldn't feel much of it. He'd been numb for a long while. But Zetsuei knew the pain would soon return and he didn't want to be anywhere in the Eastern Lands when it did._

_A whizzing went past his ear and a flying dagger pierced through the arm that Noboru hadn't managed to injure. Zetsuei grunted and knew at once Noboru and his generals had caught up yet again._

_The dagger had passed through his entire arm; the point was now embedded in the trunk of the tree he rested against. With some difficulty, he pulled it out and was on his feet at once, dodging and evading attacks and heavy nets._

_He ran, the river now so close he could smell the water, hear it rushing powerfully as it wove its way through the earth, and almost see the thick, white foamy bubbles it frothed when it crashed against rocks. Behind him, Noboru whipped his horse, his generals following suit. Zetsuei could hear them coming closer and increased his speed as well._

_Then the taste of fresh water flooded his senses, the fine misty spray from the rushing river hit his face. Zetsuei looked back and jumped the rocks and crossed the river, grinning satisfactorily at Noboru and his generals pulling hard on the reins to stop._

_The Torayoukai fell onto the opposite bank, weary and nearly spent. Ahead he saw Sesshoumaru's palace and shakily placed one foot before the other and kept running._

_A little over halfway there, Zetsuei began to feel the pain of his injuries returning once more. The full effect of the pain from his wounds would most likely leave him passed out in the middle of the woods and easy picking for any hungry youkai. His pain spurred him on and the Eastern gate loomed closer and with as much speed as he could muster, he leapt over the wall and was unnoticed by the guards._

_He strained his senses, searching for someone to help him. He found her at once. He picked out Tsukimisou's scent nearby and followed it, stopping at last before her. He landed in her arms and could go no further. But at long last, Zetsuei knew he was safe and he could rest. His eyes were getting heavy and he barely heard Tsukimisou's voice ask him what had happened to him. He struggled to reply but his strength failed him and his eyes closed and he lost himself to blackness._

_-_

"And that part is where I suppose you took me inside and tended to my wounds," Zetsuei finished at last.

Tsukimisou nodded. "Hai," she murmured. "You were lucky to have lived, Zetsuei-kun."

"I was lucky to have come across the right person when I arrived."

The Inuyoukai girl smiled sadly. "I guess," she said with a sigh. "But I'm sure you'd be up and about instead of confined to bed rest if my mother had been here. I don't really know much about using my miko powers. I never had to use them until now. I discovered them by accident, really. At Nagashino, actually. I accidentally purified one of the youkai with my whip. After that, I was more aware of them. But you were the first one I ever tried using my powers to heal with. I suppose I did alright, but I could've done better, I'm sure. Hahaue could've healed you completely on the spot, I bet."

"You did perfectly fine if I'm still alive, Tsukimisou-san. You shouldn't be so critical of yourself. Your mother has had many years of practice and training to use your powers. You shouldn't try and compare yourself to her. And allow me to be the first in saying this, but for your first attempt at healing, you did quite well."

"Really?"

Zetsuei nodded. Tsukimisou smiled and then continued to feed him, in a much less anxious manner. The fact that Zetsuei had told her everything that had happened was enough. From what she knew of him, Zetsuei appeared to be the type of person who was always guarded and never confided in anyone or spoke much to anyone. It made Tsukimisou happy to know that Zetsuei could confide in her like a close friend and talk to her easily. Slowly, but surely, Zetsuei was breaking from that isolated life he once lived, being used as Noboru's hand to do the pseudo-Taisho's dirty work.

In any case, it made both Tsukimisou and Zetsuei happy to have someone to call 'friend.'

-

"Mizumi-sama!" Kyoriko exclaimed, bursting into the Neko no Taisho's conference room unexpectedly.

"Hai, nan desuka?" Mizumi replied impassively.

"These copies are headed for enemy borders! They want to start a war! You must stop them, otherwise the other Eastern clans will think you're attacking them and then they'll also assume that you've allied with the West to aid you in hostilities against other clans!"

The Nekoyoukai girl sighed and placed a hand to her temples. "Do we know which copies are headed for these other clan borders?" she asked finally.

"All of them except for Inuyasha and Kagome, Mizumi-sama," The maid replied sadly. "In the land of Musashi, they say that the real Inuyasha and Kagome handled their copies and the dolls were heavily damaged and returned to their creators."

Mizumi remained silent for several moments, glancing at each face in the room, first at her maid, then Sesshoumaru, then Hana, and finally Tsurugi. She sighed again and lowered her hand from her brow.

"Well, it seems we've got our work cut out for us. We can assume then that there will be replicas of both myself and Tsurugi-san, along with Megumi-sama, Tsukimisou-san, Zetsuei-san, Mei Lhi-sama, and Kyoshima-sama too. So we must be on our guard. At any given point or time, one of them may attack us," The young Neko no Taisho began. "With that said, let's get started on some damage control,"

Everyone was out the door at once and headed into the surrounding greenery, their keen noses scenting the air for any sign or indicator as to which way those havoc-wreaking dolls might be.

-

Sesshoumaru immediately tracked a scent reminiscent of Tsukimisou's but also heavily mixed with clay. The taiyoukai set off for it and found the copy of his daughter almost immediately.

The Tsukimisou doll looked up and held up her hands. "Peace, Sesshoumaru-sama," she began slowly. "I have no intention of fighting you; I leave that right to your daughter," The doll continued.

"What have you to say that would convince me enough to spare your life?" The demon lord asked in his usually emotionless tone of voice.

"I can give you information,"

"You would willingly betray your comrades to give me information?"

The Tsukimisou doll nodded in response. "My creator is a woman named Zenatsu. She was an understudy of someone named Urasue, who specialized in making clay dolls and animating them with souls of the dead. Apparently Urasue is infamous for bringing the original guardian of the Shikon no Tama, the miko, Kikyou, back from the dead. But I hear she was destroyed by her very creation,"

Sesshoumaru paused, staring at the sham body of clay that resembled his own daughter so much. The doll took his stare as a signal to continue.

"Anyway," she began again. "My creator doesn't work with the souls of the dead. She takes living souls, but takes pieces of them or pieces related to them that are very close or significant to that person. Your soul leaves an imprint upon these pieces and it is with those very same pieces that Zenatsu-sama uses to bring her dolls to life,"

The doll paused and looked around quickly before continuing.

"Zenatsu-sama made more dolls than the ones running about now, you know? She made one for you and for your mate, for tenth-ranking Ryuuyoukai of the Spirits, a woman and a man, and lastly for a seventh-rank Ryuuyoukai, I believe Zenatsu-sama called him Ryouji. But all of them self-destructed. Zenatsu-sama's ability is not advanced enough to be able to have control over such powerful beings." The Tsukimisou doll finished at last.

She glanced skyward and saw a figure pass overhead. She smirked and jumped skyward.

"This is my cue to leave!" she exclaimed, vanishing with the darkened figure.

Several other figures shot out of the trees and followed after the Tsukimisou doll. A minute had barely passed and Hana rushed out of the trees, her bow drawn.

"Where did they go?" she asked her mate.

"They fled," was the reply.

"Heh, they'll be back," The miko-youkai said grimly.

"Hai, but for now, I believe you scared them off with your impressive archery abilities. I daresay they plan on returning anytime soon. They will have to inform their leader that they underestimated us,"

Kyoriko came stumbling out of a massive shrubbery, Mamoru the physician and the other two maids, Miseru and Ikarisu, not far behind.

"They took off then?" Kyoriko inquired.

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Is this everyone?" Mamoru asked in a calm voice.

"Hai, I think so," Miseru began to reply but then immediately clapped a hand to her mouth. "Kami-sama! Where is Mizumi-sama?!" she shouted worriedly.

"Tsurugi!" Hana gasped, the realization that her son was probably lost in the woods and in imminent danger crashing down upon her like a ton of bricks.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you saw these enemies retreat, did you not?" Mamoru asked, his tone urgent.

"Hai," The taiyoukai replied.

"How many of them did you see?"

"Five. I saw five of them,"

"You're certain? Absolutely sure?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. Mamoru suddenly seemed even more worried than before.

"There are nine dolls in all; two of them were in the land of Musashi, so that leaves seven. This means there are still two dolls out there, out in those same woods where Mizumi-sama and Tsurugi-sama are. If my instincts are correct, I believe that they will encounter their doll counterparts. In any case, we need to find them."

As one they all separated, searching for the Nekoyoukai girl and Inuyoukai boy.

-

Tsurugi walked along a forest path, his sword drawn. Every forest sound caused the boy to go stiff with alertness, his eyes moving to the source of the sound. Yet every time he turned to look, he found it to be a normal wood sound. He relaxed momentarily, only to tense up once more as another twig snapping or bird chirping caught his attention.

"Calm yourself, Tsurugi-kun, you're going to wear yourself out," came a voice.

The Inuyoukai whirled around and found himself face-to-face with Mizumi. At least, she seemed to be Mizumi, but there was something different.

"Mizumi-san, when did you get here? I didn't even sense you," The boy said, startled.

She took several steps closer to him. "Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you. You aren't upset are you?"

Tsurugi shook his head. "No, of course not, it's alright," he replied. "Ne, are you feeling alright? You're acting kind of…anno…different."

Mizumi was far too close now; then Tsurugi at last realized what felt so off with the Nekoyoukai girl. Her scent was wrong. She smelled of clay and ashes, a scent far from the usual lavender scent that the Taisho heir smelled so often.

"What are you talking about, Tsurugi-kun? I'm perfectly fine," she replied with a devilish grin.

The Inuyoukai boy steeled himself and raised his sword, plunging it through Mizumi's chest. She froze and then began to crack. Her face and arms and the rest of her body cracked and shattered, leaving behind a shell of hardened clay and a small golden bangle emblazoned with the crest of the Neko no Taisho. Tsurugi picked up the bangle, recognizing it as Mizumi's, and below it, he saw something that scared him, a hidden weapon. It was a poison dart with an extremely lethal dose of belladonna on it.

It was then that Tsurugi realized he had to find Mizumi, and fast. Sniffing at the air, he found her scent immediately and set out for it, praying he was not too late.

'_Mizumi, don't you go dying on me!_'

-

Being a Nekoyoukai, Mizumi's sense of smell was hardly as acute as her Inuyoukai companions. She sat alone in an empty clearing, resting her tired legs. She had been running around for a long time, searching with her senses pushed to the limit. She knew these woods like the back of her hand. The Nekoyoukai girl had played in them often when she was younger, when her mother was alive, and when her father was still kind.

"Tired?" came the sound of Tsurugi's voice.

Mizumi looked up and nodded. The Inuyoukai boy stepped closer and passed the girl his water skin. She took it and drank it gratefully.

"Arigatou, Tsurugi-san," she replied.

"Why so formal, Mizumi-chan?" he asked in a strangely erotic tone of voice. "We're by ourselves out here, there's no need to be so proper."

The Nekoyoukai girl could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and barely managed to stammer out her reply. "Tsu-Tsurugi-k-kun…" she whispered.

The Taisho heir moved closer to her; Mizumi could feel her pulse racing, but she didn't know why Tsurugi's actions affected her so. Tsurugi seemed to notice her nervousness and laid a hand on her shoulder and pulled the girl to her feet.

"Tsurugi-kun, what are you doing?" The Neko no Taisho asked, her voice sounding anxious and slightly higher-pitched than normal.

The Inuyoukai boy ignored her, letting his hand slip down to her waist and pull her closer. Mizumi's face flushed at once, now highly embarrassed but at the same time, much to her own surprise, she found it very arousing and was unable to control the heat pooling in the pit of her stomach. Tsurugi smirked, letting the hand that was at her waist trail up to her chin, tracing her lips with his thumb.

He leaned in towards her and Mizumi did the same. But what Mizumi did not see was Tsurugi reaching for his sword with his free hand from behind his back.

Suddenly Tsurugi suddenly froze, and the Nekoyoukai girl leapt back upon seeing a sword embedded in his belly. Angrily she looked to see Tsurugi's attacker, only to discover it was Tsurugi himself.

"Are you alright?" The second Tsurugi asked, withdrawing his sword.

Mizumi's eyes widened as she saw where the sword had been had left a wound with no blood. The area around it began to crack and the now-wounded Tsurugi gasped, straining to hold onto his false life, struggling to raise his sword. The second Tsurugi moved at once, kicking it out of his double's hand.

"Nice try. But you aren't going to lay a hand on Mizumi!" he growled angrily.

The suffering of the first Tsurugi came to an end at long last as he broke into jagged shards of hardened clay, leaving a small scroll with his remains.

"Are you alright?" The real Tsurugi asked again.

The Nekoyoukai girl took slow, calming breaths before nodding at last. "Hai, I'm fine," she murmured.

"That's twice I've had to save your life, you know?"

Tsurugi sighed, staring intently at Mizumi who seemed to be very silent and deep in thought. He sheathed his sword and approached her.

"Mizumi, look, you're alright, I don't know why you're so depressed," he began.

"I fell prey to such a simple trap so easily," she whispered more to herself than to him. "How can I possibly be a good leader for my people if I get tricked so easily?"

"We all make mistakes, Mizumi. Everyone, even the greatest people do. But we learn from those mistakes, so there's no sense in beating yourself up about it."

"How can I know I won't make the same mistake again?"

"Well, baka, that's why you've got people like me to make sure you're not doing something incredibly stupid."

Mizumi grinned at last and nodded. Tsurugi breathed a sigh of relief, then cocked an eyebrow as a curious scent registered. He leaned in towards the Nekoyoukai girl, sniffing at her.

"Tsurugi, what in the name of Kami-sama are you doing?" she asked.

The Inuyoukai boy smirked. "Were you going into heat just now before I got here?"

The girl immediately turned bright red. "No!" she exclaimed at once, knowing that lying was pointless. Tsurugi's nose didn't lie.

"Mou…it was only a copy of me, but I'm still that irresistible to you? If you wanted me, you could've just asked." The Taisho heir said jokingly.

Mizumi regained her composure, hitting Tsurugi in the arm.

"Itai! What the hell was that for?"

"You know damn well, so stop getting weird ideas."

"Yeah, like _I'm_ the one with weird ideas. Look who's talking!"

"Oh do shut up!"

"Make me! Go ahead, do to me what you were about to do with my copy!" He smirked, now leaning towards her.

The girl growled and slapped him. Tsurugi sighed.

"Fair enough," he said resignedly.

"Damn straight."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry it took so damn long, but I had AP tests, my UC placement exam, along with TONS and TONS of projects to do. Sheesh, so much work before the end of the year. It's insane. But luckily I'm almost through all of it. So I finally managed to finish the chapter! YAY! I know the stopping point is weird, and I'm sorry if stuff sounds weird or is misspelled. I've been low on sleep, so that'll be why. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it despite all that, so ja ne until next time!


	22. Aibou

**A/N:** Hey we're back! Wheee! I'm on a roll! So here we are again with chapter twenty-two! So trying not to waste too much time here, let's get started. For today's disclaimer, we have…Shino, because he's the only one I can think of! Take it away, Shino-kun!

Shino: Aki-san does not own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or any other major work of literature or film, or video game creation. She also does not own Mizumi Ichitani, Miseru Sen, Kyoriko Ryoshima, Ikarisu Nintai, or Zetsuei Ayasegawa. Now without any further delay, here is chapter twenty-two…

* * *

Chapter Twenty-two: Aibou

Mizumi yawned, quickly dodging out of the way of her maids who were all quite obsessively trying to fuss over her.

"Kami-sama! Stop it! I'm fine, for the last time! Absolutely _nothing_ happened to me out there so will you please BACK OFF?!" she snapped irritably, the last part of her words unintentionally coming out as a yell.

"Gomen nasai, Mizumi-sama! We're only worried for your well-being!" All three of her maids chorused apologetically, bowing low as a sign of deep respect.

The Nekoyoukai girl sighed and rolled her eyes, letting her gaze travel over to Tsurugi who was getting a similar interrogation by his parents. However, by the looks of it, the Taisho boy seemed to be less fussed over than the poor Neko girl. After a few moments, the Inuyoukai boy turned and walked away from his mother and father, his gaze now meeting Mizumi's as he approached.

"How're you holding up?" he asked politely.

"Fine I suppose," Mizumi answered slowly, sounding a bit tired.

"Well, I didn't tell them anything about what happened back in the woods with you, so you don't have to worry about the reputation you need to hold up with your clan," Tsurugi began quickly. "Anyway, that's the end of that matter. Unless we have second copies of ourselves, we won't have another 'incident' like that one."

Mizumi nodded, unable to stop her face from flushing lightly at the thought of what exactly had transpired, or almost transpired, between herself and Tsurugi's copy. The Taisho heir gave a slight half-smile in return and sighed.

"My family and I will be leaving now, seeing as you aren't under attack anymore. We all really need to get home. Kami-sama knows what's gone on since we were away. Chichiue still needs to hear from Inuyasha-otooji-san about what happened in that human village he used to live in," he explained.

"I see. Then I bid you farewell, Tsurugi-san, until either of should require the other's services," The Neko no Taisho replied in an almost icy tone that sounded very formal and lacked any warmth whatsoever.

If Tsurugi was shocked by Mizumi's tone, he did a fair job at hiding it. He said nothing in response and turned to walk back to his parents' sides where the three of them departed at once in a large, speeding orb of light.

-

Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Tsurugi returned the West and were greeted warmly by Shippou and Rin who stood waiting for them just inside the gate. All of them were instantly aware of whose presence was missing that should've been there.

"Where is Tsukimisou?" Hana asked, sounding puzzled.

"No one knows I'm afraid," Shippou began. "But she _is_ somewhere in the castle. The servants have seen her every couple of hours with food in one hand and a ton of bandages in the other."

The miko-youkai and her mate glanced at one another before redirecting their attention at the pair before them.

"Have there been any reports of someone other than us entering the palace?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

"None whatsoever, Chichiue," Rin answered. "But there was a heavy scent of blood in an area where Tsukimisou was out in the courtyard earlier today. I've tried to follow the trail, but it doesn't go anywhere except that single spot. So unless Tsukimisou got carried skyward by whatever was spilling blood all over, which I doubt, because I had Aun fly up and look, Tsuki-chan herself is preventing the trail from being followed."

"So how do you two know if she's still here if you can't follow her trail?" Tsurugi asked with a slight edge of suspicion in his voice. "The servants could be lying."

"Her youki is still present, and it appears to be quite active. She's been using her powers intermittently," Shippou replied at once. "From the feeling we've been getting off her youki, she doesn't appear to be in any danger. It kind of feels like how your youki does, Hana-san, when you're healing someone."

"Would it be possible to trace the source of her youki?" Hana asked.

"Oh yes, undoubtedly. There seems to be a recurring pattern. Tsuki-chan's power flares about every two hours. Speaking of which, now's about the time it should happen again,"

As Shippou concluded his sentence, all turned toward the castle and sensed an aura. It lasted for a few seconds and then paused briefly and began again. The whole process lasted a few minutes before it stopped altogether.

"That is indeed the aura for healing…well, for sealing a person's wounds specifically. I didn't know Tsuki-chan knew how to use her powers," Hana thought aloud.

"She doesn't, Hahaue," Rin said. "She seems to have just discovered them recently."

"Alright, well, was anyone keeping track of where that was coming from?" Tsurugi inquired.

Shippou nodded and at once motioned for everyone to follow after him. The five of them crossed the main courtyard and entered the first door in sight and took several turns down many hallways.

"Mou, I didn't know that our house was _this_ big," Tsurugi said, sounding somewhat exasperated.

Sesshoumaru smirked and nodded curtly, entertaining a thought similar to his son's.

They continued on until at last, Shippou stopped.

"Well, here it is. She should be in the rooms around here," The kitsune announced warily. "Shall we check door number one?" he inquired, indicating the door nearest to where the five of them stood.

There was a total of six doors in the surrounding area, each of them spaced neatly on either side of the hallway. Shippou approached the door that was at the group's immediate right and looked to the others, waiting expectantly for the order to open it. Hana nodded and at once Shippou opened the door, quickly peeking inside. It was empty. The kitsune sighed.

"Door number two then," he muttered.

This time Rin opened the door, and again, it was empty.

"Third time's the charm. Let's see what's behind door number three!"

When the door opened this time, a surprised cry of "Shimatta!" greeted the bemused quintet.

"Oh, so this is where you've been hiding, Tsuki-chan," Rin said, peering curiously into the room. "What've you been up to all day?"

Tsukimisou flinched and quickly shook her head. "Umm, nothing," she lied, failing miserably.

It was then that everyone took in the Taisho girl's overall appearance. Her kimono was stained with blood and her long silver hair had been pulled back into a low plume at the base of her neck and it too was flecked with dried blood. A continued observation showed that the room was well-stocked with bandages and food. Even more interesting was the very battered-looking occupant of a futon, a Torayoukai boy around Tsukimisou's age, who lay resting at the Inuyoukai girl's side.

"What exactly is going in here?" Hana asked, her tone serious. "And no lies this time. I want to know what's happened here."

"Hahaue, it was Noboru, the so-called Taisho of the Tora clan. He tried to kill Zetsuei," The girl began quickly.

"And what is he doing here of all places?"

"Well, he needed some serious medical attention and he originally came here looking for you, but you, Chichiue, and Ototo-chan left to go see Mizumi-sama when he arrived. So I took him in to take care of him; please don't be angry with me, he was dying. Besides, he saved my life, it's only fitting that I return the favor and save his!"

Hana sighed and nodded. "What have you tended to so far, Tsuki-chan?" she inquired.

"I've been sealing his wounds little by little at a time; I don't know how to completely seal them like you do. His body's in enough pain as it is and I know that sealing is an excruciating experience. I was afraid if I pressed any further I might end up killing him on accident, so I've been bandaging him up instead and giving him plenty of water and other kinds of things to keep him hydrated, but I'm not sure if that's enough, so I've been running around frantically trying to think of things to do, but he's been stable so far, so I guess that's a good thing—"

"Tsuki-chan," The miko-youkai started, interrupting her daughter's frantic speech. "I'll take care of the rest. You can go and rest or help me if you like. You've managed well on your own from what I've heard. Everything will be fine now, so I can assure you that Zetsuei will be fine."

The girl breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. "I'll stay and help, I'm not that tired yet," she said quietly, trying to keep her voice from betraying how tired she actually felt.

"Anata, I have a feeling I'll be busy for quite a while, so I suggest that all of you go on to any business you have to attend to. I'll see you all again when my work is finished," Hana said, addressing the four others in the doorway, her words most specifically directed at her mate.

Sesshoumaru nodded curtly in response and turned to leave. Rin, Shippou, and Tsurugi followed after him moments later, leaving Hana and Tsukimisou quite alone.

"So tell me, why was Noboru trying to kill Zetsuei?"

Tsukimisou drew a long breath and with a small sigh, began to retell the tale that Zetsuei had told her a few hours before.

-

When she had finished speaking, Tsukimisou immediately looked to her mother's face and saw that the miko-youkai's lips had been drawn into a thin line.

"Have either of you seen what is in the scroll?" Hana asked finally.

"No, we haven't read it," The Taisho heiress replied quickly. "I've been preoccupied with treating Zetsuei."

"I see."

Hana sighed and brought a hand to her temples, seeming distressed about something.

"Hahaue?" Tsukimisou began timidly. "Is something wrong?"

"Tsuki-chan, I don't know what will happen in the future because of this. But I do know that this Noboru will undoubtedly keep trying to end Zetsuei's life. And seeing as you're aiding Noboru's 'fugitive', future hostilities between us and the Torayoukai clan are more than likely. To top that off, if it comes to war, Mizumi will have to make a choice. Both the Inuyoukai and Torayoukai clans will want the Nekoyoukai as an ally. If Mizumi is smart, she will stay out of the matter entirely and remain neutral, but if not, and she chooses a side, I can guarantee that we will bear witness to one of the worst clan wars in the entire history of our lands."

An overwhelming feeling of guilt seeped into the pit of Tsukimisou's stomach. She felt sick with shame and regret. Her eyes immediately sought refuge in the floor, unable to look at her mother any more. The Inuyoukai girl's head dropped, casting her features in shadow.

"Have I…have I started a war?" she asked, her voice no more than a whisper.

"No, not yet."

Silence filled the room, but the deafening silence was dwarfed by the sudden increase of tension in the air. Neither mother nor daughter spoke. Many minutes passed in complete stillness. The only sound was Zetsuei's slightly ragged breathing.

Hana sighed again, and closed her eyes for a moment and reopened them, a blue glow now covering her hands.

"Hold him," The miko-youkai instructed.

Tsukimisou's head snapped up and she leaned over Zetsuei, gingerly applying a light, but firm pressure to a spot on the center of the Torayoukai boy's chest that Noboru had managed not to injure. She nodded at her mother who nodded back. Hana laid her hands on the wound that looked the most severe, her miko aura surrounding the cut, enveloping it in a haze of blue.

The moment Hana's aura made contact with Zetsuei's skin, the boy flinched and hissed in pain. Tsukimisou kept him as still as possible and watched as the wound began to close before her eyes.

The process continued several more times, until, at long last, all of Zetsuei's wounds were sealed. Hana moved her hands away, pausing to breathe deeply, as if to recover from the strain of using her powers. Tsukimisou remained silent, watching over the Torayoukai boy.

His breathing was steadier, not as ragged as before. It was stronger and sounded much more normal. His heartbeat, which had been frantic and weak, was strong and powerful. He was going to live. He would survive. Tsukimisou knew this, and found herself fighting back tears of joy, of relief. She'd been so worried, so frightened, that Zetsuei wasn't going to make it.

If Zetsuei had died, it would have made everything he fought for, everything he hoped to change, completely worthless. His search for the true heir and returning him to the Tora clan throne would have been a venture completely made in vain. If he had died, none of his efforts would have mattered.

With his survival, Zetsuei would have a chance. A chance to change things, a chance for redemption, and a chance to make things right again.

A chance to forgive himself.

-

"Things are much worse than we feared," Hana began slowly.

The entire room was silent and rapt with attention. Sesshoumaru, Tsurugi, Tsukimisou, Rin, Shippou, Inuyasha, and Kagome—the latter two having arrived not long after the taiyoukai, his heir, and his mate—were all gathered and listening intently.

"It seems Noboru of the Torayoukai clan is going to pose a problem to us in the very near future," The miko-youkai continued. "Tsuki-chan has informed me that our friend and ally, Zetsuei was nearly slain by Noboru's hand. There appears to be some sort of clan conspiracy. Zetsuei is very close to exposing the truth and Noboru tried to have him killed to stop him from revealing it."

"A conspiracy?" Rin questioned.

Hana nodded. "Noboru's elder brother had a son, and that son is the true heir to the Tora clan." She explained.

"Basically, Noboru took the Taisho's power and never gave it back," Tsukimisou added. "Zenjiro, the former heir, was killed by Noboru, his own brother. Noboru is greedy and power-hungry. He's kept the true heir in the dark. The son of Zenjiro has no idea of his royal lineage. Zetsuei stole into the Tora clan's Hall of Records, at great personal risk, in order to weed out the corruption in the clan."

"How can we find the true heir?" Kagome asked.

"Zetsuei recovered a scroll. The actual scroll documenting the Zenjiro Affair had been split in half. The half that remained in the shelves of the Hall of Records had nothing about the son of Zenjiro. The other half was in Noboru's keeping at all times. Zetsuei was injured in retrieving that other half of the scroll, and he was successful."

"Have you read it?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

Tsukimisou shook her head. "Iie, I've been a little preoccupied with making sure Zetsuei was taken care of."

The taiyoukai nodded and then turned to his brother. "What news of the attack in your former human village, Inuyasha?"

"Sango and Miroku were fighting copies of me and Kagome when we arrived," The hanyou began. "They came with the intent to kill. It seems like they've got full range of our abilities. My copy could even use Bakuryuuha. But it wasn't as strong as mine. Then they mentioned something about some Zenatsu-woman. That she's their creator or something. I was able to mortally injure my double in battle, but Kagome's copy took him and fled, most likely back to their creator."

"Hm. The duplicate of Tsukimisou also spoke of Zenatsu," Sesshoumaru said, voicing his thoughts. "The copy mentioned that Zenatsu was some sort of apprentice to Urasue. Apparently, there were more copies than the nine we know of. But they were destroyed due to the amount of strength the originals have. It gives us insight into how strong Zenatsu is. It seems she is weaker than Hana, Ryouji-sama, Reika-sama, Toji-sama, and myself. This gives us a great advantage. We know who we're fighting, and we know quite intimately what each of us is capable of, having fought together for such a prolonged period of time."

"They'll try to trick us," Tsurugi supplied. "But we have our senses. I've destroyed two of the nine. My own copy and Mizumi-sama's. Zenatsu uses a medium for each of her copies. A piece of us, or something that belongs to us. Mizumi's was created with one of her clan bracelets, and mine with the memory scroll of Tsuki-nee-chan, with her name written in my own blood," he paused and then went on. "Expect the copies to try to imitate how we act, and expect them to smell a little off. The scent of the Mizumi one is what tipped me off. They'll smell of clay and ashes, but because they've been created with parts of us, they'll smell very slightly of ourselves. But don't hesitate if you think they smell wrong. They're armed; Mizumi's copy had an iron dart poisoned with belladonna, and my own had an imitation of my sword. They each tried to sway us, lure us into a false sense of security and let down our guard so they could attack. They aim to kill, not to wound. So don't hesitate, because my copy was about to kill the real Mizumi when I arrived." He explained gravely.

All nodded in understanding, letting the Taisho heir's words sink in. It was silent for several moments. Then Tsukimisou sighed.

"Well, let's see," she murmured. "What's on the list of things to worry about right now? Hmmm…" she paused to think. "We've got Yuri-chan and the whole Kaze-hime situation, then there's Harukichi-teme, Zenatsu and our copies running amok, the possibility that said copies will start very tedious wars, and now Noboru's impending counterattack to Zetsuei. Oh yeah, and the Shikon no Tama too. _Great_."

Her words seemed to send many into a sudden gloom. With all of their problems laid out like that, it seemed like quite a heavy burden.

"We'll manage," Hana said confidently, snapping everyone out of the morose mood that had settled in the air.

"Yeah, somehow…" Tsurugi agreed.

-

Zetsuei awoke with a startled gasp. He sat up abruptly, regretting the action almost as soon as he'd done it. He was in pain, but it was nowhere near the level it had been when he arrived in the West. The room was dark; it was hard to make out anything in the poor lighting. Eventually, as his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he could make sense of the shapes in the darkness. He was alone.

The Torayoukai boy staggered to his feet, his body aching in protest as he did so. The feeling of being alone was unsettling. He'd gotten so accustomed to Tsukimisou's presence; it was always there, right beside him. But now it was gone, and the lack of her warmth made Zetsuei uneasy. Something serious had to be going on for Tsukimisou to leave him alone.

He forced himself to move, taking one step at a time, until finally he'd crossed the room and made it to the door. With some difficulty, he managed to get it open, but did not have the strength to close it behind him. He simply left it open and struggled forward, down the unfamiliar hallway.

Each step was met with agonizing pain. Zetsuei growled slightly as his wounds ached, trying to contain a grunt of pain. He kept moving. If he stopped, he'd surely be in too much pain to go on. Then a voice called his name, and it was like the dark gloom that lingered over him had never existed.

"Zetsuei-kun!" Tsukimisou gasped. "What are you _doing_?! You're not supposed to be moving around, let alone be out of bed!" she scolded.

"Gomen nasai, Tsukimisou-san," The Torayoukai boy mumbled, hanging his head.

The Inuyoukai girl sighed and walked the last few steps separating the two and gently placed her arms around the boy and led him back to his room, easing him back to bed.

"What am I going to do with you?" The Taisho heiress groaned exasperatedly. "You can't be moving around like this, not when you're still recovering. You're going to reopen your wounds again. And trust me, that won't be fun. Because my mother will have to seal them again, and I know for a fact that you won't like to have to do that all over again."

Zetsuei, now lying down, felt the corners of his mouth turn down into an unmistakable frown. Tsukimisou went about lighting the lamps in the room, making it easier to see and effectively brightening the room. When the Inuyoukai girl had finished lighting lamps, she went back to sit by Zetsuei's side and noted the expression on his face, which was still sad and slightly distressed.

Tsukimisou took his hand and let the corners of her mouth upturn. "Why are you so sad, Zetsuei-kun?" she asked.

The Torayoukai shook his head, dismissing her question.

"It's alright, I forgive you. You don't need to be so down, or so hard on yourself. I'm sorry I left you by yourself. I should've known better. I should've known that you would've been worried about where I was. I should've anticipated that you'd look for me,"

"What's going on?" Zetsuei asked finally.

"What do you mean?"

"I can tell something is happening. Something big. What is it?"

Tsukimisou exhaled slowly, sighing very lightly. Her eyes closed briefly in thought, then fluttered open.

"We think that Noboru might want to start a war because of what we did," The Taisho heiress began. "You, for breaking in and stealing that scroll when you were banished from your land and all," she paused. "And me, for helping you and saving your life, thus rendering aid to the enemy."

"He won't start a war," The Torayoukai scout disagreed. "War would draw unwanted attention to the clan conspiracy. Noboru doesn't want everyone to realize that his rule is unjustified. He would want to prevent others like me, who seek to restore the true heir to his power, from rising up within the clan."

"And what if he decides to start a war anyway, but manages to cover up his reasons for it with some well-thought-out excuse? I mean, he came up with a decent enough one for why he's in power instead of the true heir. Who's to say he won't do something like that again?"

Zetsuei's frown deepened as he considered the Inuyoukai girl's words.

"That is indeed quite possible," he said at last.

"What then, if that's the case? What will happen to us?" Tsukimisou asked, worried.

"I will protect you."

Tsukimisou's breath caught in her chest.

"_What_?" she choked. "If you do that, Noboru will kill you!"

The Torayoukai laughed once without humor.

"Better me than any of you," he muttered darkly. "None of your family should have to atone for my sins. You don't deserve any of this. It would be wrong of me to bring such suffering upon you all."

The girl's grip tightened on Zetsuei's hand and she leaned in towards him, a look of horror on her face.

"No! You can't do that! You can't just resign yourself so easily to die. What about everything you've tried to accomplish? What about your goals? What about returning the true Taisho to power? If you die, it'll all be for nothing! You've got so much more to do! You can't just give up!" The Taisho girl cried, her voice sounding pained.

"I cannot endanger you."

"Zetsuei-kun, we live in danger every day. These are dangerous times; it's wartime. Of course it's going to be dangerous. You shouldn't feel obligated to sacrifice yourself for us. We need you. Don't you realize that?"

The Torayoukai sighed.

"I don't see how I could be of any use," he said after a few moments of tense silence.

Tsukimisou bit her lip, unsure of what to say that would possibly convince the Torayoukai boy that his death wasn't the right way to go about things. She stayed silent, thinking of something, anything she could say that could possibly sway Zetsuei from this new path he had resigned himself to. She could think of nothing.

A deadened feeling settled into the pit of the girl's stomach as she realized this. Her words were meaningless. A choked sob broke free from her chest and her vision began to blur. She tried to keep herself from crying, but the traitor tears managed to trail down her face anyway.

"Are you crying again?" Zetsuei asked.

"No, I'm not crying," Tsukimisou replied thickly.

The Torayoukai scout glanced at the Inuyoukai girl and exhaled heavily.

"I apologize if I've upset you. It was not my intention," he said evenly.

"Not your intention?!" The girl repeated sharply. "It seems pretty intentional to me! You're so determined to go get yourself killed for a stupid reason. Your death wouldn't benefit me or my family in any way! Don't you see that? Are you so blind to believe that your death could make more of a difference than your life would? At least alive, you'd be able to accomplish your goals yourself. But dead, who's going to pick up that mantle? Who's going to shoulder that responsibility? Who's going to be the one that will be brave and strong enough to uncover the truth? Don't you see? Everyone else is frightened, frightened of Noboru. You're the only one that has enough mettle to stand up to him. You're the only one determined enough to expose the truth. You're probably the only one capable of succeeding in that. And I know that you'd be the one person who could bring your clan back to order, and out of corruption. You'd be the one to find the true heir and force Noboru to back down. Don't you see how much good you can do if you stay alive? So please, don't die. Stay."

"Are you finished now?"

"Yes. I am."

"Good."

"But I did mean every word I said. Please, just promise me that you'll stay. Your clan needs you, we need you. Your homeland needs you."

"I have no home to return to. Where am I supposed to stay?"

"Here, of course. My family and I will be happy to welcome you into our house. My parents and elder siblings already think very highly of you. I don't think they'd have any objections to you staying with us. It was because of you that things went so well at Nagashino. My father was well-prepared for everything. And everyone is forever grateful to you for saving my life. Even _I_ didn't know there was a cure to belladonna poisoning until you administered it to me. So if they don't want to take you in after everything you did for them before Nagashino, they'll be obligated to in order to repay the debt they have to you for saving me."

"I consider that debt repaid. You and your mother kindly tended to me."

"That's hardly repayment for what you've done for us. Don't worry, they'll let you stay. If they say no, I'll convince them otherwise."

"I can see this is a hopeless cause to argue. Very well. I shall stay and I shall remain living."

Tsukimisou smiled and nodded with approval. A knock sounded at the door. The girl turned and glanced over her shoulder.

"Come in!" she called.

The door slid open and Hana stood in the doorway. "How is he doing?" The miko-youkai inquired.

"Ask him yourself, Hahaue. He's awake."

Hana was somewhat startled by her daughter's reply. It amazed the miko-youkai woman at exactly how resilient Zetsuei was. Any other person, ningen or youkai, would've been suffering for weeks were they in as bad shape as Zetsuei was.

"I smelled his blood in the hallway. You weren't taking him anywhere were you?"

"Iie," Tsukimisou replied with a small grin. "Zetsuei-kun got impatient because I wasn't in the room, so he went out wandering around looking for me."

The new information shocked Hana so deeply she had to grip the doorframe from falling over.

"Nani?! He's moving around already? In the condition he's in, he ought to be bed-ridden for another few days! It's only been hours!" The woman exclaimed incredulously.

"I am quite capable of knowing how to keep myself alive along with knowing how to keep my body functioning, despite any injury it may have suffered," Zetsuei said quietly. "Occupational hazard."

"Occupational hazard?" Hana questioned.

"Yes. Back in the East, I was an assassin first, informant second. My duties often put me in highly dangerous situations. In order to train myself effectively for whatever my work entailed, I was schooled and well-versed in all areas of study. I learned effective combat, offensive and defensive tactics, stealth, espionage, camouflaging, and even medicine. My medical knowledge ranges from herbal remedies to simple surgeries." The Torayoukai explained.

"Wow," Tsukimisou breathed. "I didn't know you were so well-educated."

Zetsuei couldn't help but smirk a little at the Taisho girl's words.

"My line of work is much more complicated than it looks," he said, his voice sounding a little smug.

"Obviously."

"I can understand your surprise then, little dancer."

Tsukimisou's eyes narrowed slightly at Zetsuei's teasing.

"Being a maiko is much more complicated than it looks too, you know."

"Oh, how so? Do enlighten me."

"Well for one, you've got to be well-balanced; otherwise you're going to look like an idiot. Then you've got to develop perfect muscle control. The dances themselves are ridiculously complicated and messing up is unacceptable. If you upset your dance teacher, they'll kick you out of their school and you have to beg to let you come back. It's really a crushing blow to your self-esteem. When the teacher tells you 'Stop!' she means 'Stop now, you're horrible. Now leave and don't come back ever again.' That sort of thing really makes you doubt yourself and really question what you're doing with yourself,"

"Have you ever been told 'stop!' before?"

Tsukimisou shuddered visibly.

"Only once," she replied. "It was horrible. I came back to the okiya shaking and I hid in the corner of my room for a few hours. Everyone was worried about me; I wouldn't speak to them for a while. But finally, Reika, or Haruka, as she was called then, got me to explain what happened. And when I told her the story, she laughed."

"She laughed? That's quite insensitive of her."

The Taisho girl smiled a little at the memory.

"Well, she told me that dance teachers only tell you 'stop' because they really want you to do good, so by instilling an overwhelming fear of being told 'stop', and then getting told it, it's sort of a mental tactic to get you to try harder when you go back."

"I thought you said it meant you were never to return."

"Well, that's what all maiko are told it means. It's how we develop a fear for hearing the word. But once we know the reasons for why it is, we understand. And I can tell you, after that one time, I was fortunate enough to never get another dreaded 'stop!' from my teacher."

"Then the mind-game worked."

"Yes, it did. It's quite interesting how one word can do so much."

"There are several single words that can inspire much. Your 'stop' just happens to be one of them."

"I hate to interrupt you both," Hana cut in suddenly. "But I'm trying to examine Zetsuei's present condition."

Both Tsukimisou and Zetsuei jumped slightly at the sound of the miko-youkai's voice. They'd gotten so caught up in their own conversation that they hadn't realized Hana had recovered from her shock, crossed the room, and now sat at Zetsuei's side. She was in the process of healing the Torayoukai boy's wounds with one blue aura-sheathed hand and gently probing the areas around the injuries, checking for internal damage. The blanket was down to his waist, and neither Zetsuei nor Tsukimisou had noticed Hana flitting around beside them. Apparently, their conversation had most effectively distracted the pair from anything else around them. Now that they had stopped talking for the moment, they became intensely aware of what was going on. The pair glanced at one another and quickly looked away embarrassedly.

It was silent until Hana had completed her examination.

"So Tsuki-chan," The miko-youkai began.

"Hai?" The Taisho girl answered.

"I was under the impression, if my hearing serves me right, that you were planning on asking that Zetsuei be allowed to stay here with us. Am I wrong in assuming this?"

"Oh, no. I mean, no you're not wrong."

"Well, given his current condition, Zetsuei-kun really has no choice _but_ to stay here. And seeing that he can't go back to his own lands, there really isn't any other place for him to stay but here. Here in the West is the one place he has allies, friends, and people who care for him."

"So is that a yes?"

Hana nodded.

"Really? He can stay?"

"Yes, he can stay."

"For how long?"

"As long as he likes."

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Hahaue!"

"You're welcome, Tsuki-chan."

The miko-youkai got to her feet.

"You'll have to excuse me. I really need to get back to the meeting. Your father needs me. We desperately need to plan out what issues we're going to tackle first. You conveniently listed them off for us a little while ago, so we need to set priorities." The woman explained.

"Oh, I see. Well, don't let me keep you then."

"Take care of Zetsuei-kun. I'll be back in a few hours to check on him."

"Okay, I will."

With that, Hana quickly left the room.

"It seems things will be quite chaotic in the coming days, won't it?" Zetsuei said aloud, not really speaking to anyone in particular.

"Hai, it does," Tsukimisou replied. "But at least I've got you here to keep things from spinning too far out of control. Right, aibou?"

"Right."

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, I know, it's been a decade and a half. I'm sorry. But I have an explanation. First of all, as of June 22, 2008, I've been consumed by something called _Twilight_. That vampire-verse created by Stephenie Meyer consumed my mind. I've been there ever since. And I've read all the books, so angry Twilighters can't attack me. I even went to the midnight release for _Breaking Dawn_. I was number one in the line! Woo! So I got to buy the first copy to be sold at midnight. Haha! So I've been running with vampires and werewolves in Forks, WA for the past couple of months. I'm also working on an entirely different project: an original work, aka a NOVEL. So far it's coming along quite well. I've written three complete chapters, currently in the process of writing chapter four—almost done writing it too, so I'll be up to chapter five in no time—and I've been focused on that. On top of that, August 15-16, 2008 I was at UC Irvine for my college orientation. I signed up for classes and stuff, and I start school on September 25, 2008, just a mere TWO DAYS after my 18th birthday. Ah, the state of California's wonderful birthday gift to me. It's a huge, "Happy birthday, from California. Now go to school!" Lol. Anyways, please don't yell at me for taking so damned long. I've been doing lots of other things, mostly _Twilight_-related or my original work-related. But I'm also doing a lot of college-related stuff. Like for instance, I've got paperwork that I still need to fill out, then I have to pay my tuition fees, lest I want my classes dropped or get a hold placed on my record for late payment (god forbid), and I still need to work out my transportation plans. Because presently, I still have yet to figure out which train and bus route I will be taking. So any of you Orange County people, or anyone out there, if you can find me an OCTA bus that leaves from the Tustin Metro Station to UC Irvine and then another that leaves from UCI to the station, that'd help me out a lot. Okay, so this author's note is long and full of nonsense that nobody reads anyway, so I'll just shut up and I promise to try as best I can to get chapter 23 out ASAP. Hopefully before fall quarter begins XP Anyway, ja ne until next time!

PS: I apologize for absolutely _nothing_ happening in this chapter. It is, regrettably, yet another filler. And if it's a little repetitive, blame the vampires. They hath stolen my brains! The action shall pick up soon. Just stick with me until then, okay? I'm just trying to keep even pacing here. I don't want a repeat of "Threads." That plot moved way too damn fast. Besides, there's no way in hell I could tie everything up in three more chapters. I've got TONS of crap planned.

PPS: Oh, and did I mention that this fic surpassed "Threads" by 1,209 words? I'm at 251 pages here for "Moon", but I'll definitely beat the "Threads" page count of 284. Let's shoot for 300! XD

PPPS: And this chapter is 13 pages, by the way. I just couldn't stop writing the lovely dialogue. And speaking of the chapter, the title, "Aibou", means "friend" or "partner." Now I promise to shut up.


	23. Advance

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**A/N:** Wheeee! We're back. Disclaimer shall be read by uhh…well, actually, I don't know, haha. I swear to you, the vampires took over my brain. I actually stopped watching ANY anime for SEVEN STRAIGHT WEEKS because of _Twilight_. Okay, I need to shut up about the vampires. Disclaimer…ah, hell. Zetsuei! You do it! You're going to be important.

Zetsuei: Shh! Stop that. (clears throat) Ahem. Now, Aki-san doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or anything else she may have referenced, alluded to, etcetera. She owns her story, her characters, her twisted plotlines, and all that fun stuff. Also, the characters Ichitani Mizumi, Kyoriko Ryoshima, Ikarisu Nintai, and Miseru Sen are the property of Carrie, the ever-wonderful sometimes co-writer, and ever helpful muse. As for me, I, Zetsuei Ayasegawa, belong to JediMasterAJK, aka RenegadeAmish, aka A.J. Without any further hindrances, or any more rants on 'dazzling vampires' from Aki-san, I give you, a hopefully much more interesting chapter twenty-three.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-three: Advance

After two days, Zetsuei had made a full recovery. He was back on his feet and walking around without difficulty. Tsukimisou walked at his side in the hallway, showing him around the palace and also there as a precaution, in case the Torayoukai relapsed due to some kind of unaddressed injury.

The pair was walking to Sesshoumaru's study. Zetsuei wished to speak with the taiyoukai, for reasons unknown to Tsukimisou. When asked about it, the boy refused to elaborate. Thus, the seemingly endless walk over was fairly silent with the exception of the Taisho girl pointing out rooms here and there on the way.

"Why do you want to talk to my father?" Tsukimisou asked again, knowing that she had no chance of getting a response anyway.

Zetsuei sighed and lightly shook his head.

"Is it something bad?" The girl continued to question.

"No, not bad." The Torayoukai replied slowly.

"Then what's the problem? Why won't you tell me? You can trust me, honestly. I thought we were friends."

"Yes…friends…"

"So, can you tell me what you want to ask my father about? You said it wasn't something bad, but it's obviously something that isn't good either. As your friend, I have a right to know. Will you tell me?"

"As your friend?"

"Yes."

"I plan on asking your father to allow me to become a personal guard for your family and also to serve as his informant. I'll return to my previous occupation. But this time I will be serving the right side."

"I accept your request," came a third voice.

"Chichiue!" Tsukimisou gasped.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Zetsuei greeted politely.

"Since you will be keeping a permanent residence in my house, it is only fitting that you be given something useful to do. As you wish, you may act as a personal guard for my family, though I daresay most of us won't need it and only a very limited number will," The taiyoukai began, pausing to glance at his daughter for a fraction of a second before returning his focus to the Torayoukai boy. "I could also use you to keep me informed on the present situations. You fared well at this task prior to the conflict at Nagashino. I expect your services will prove to be quite useful in this time."

"Of course,"

It was silent for a moment.

"How soon will you be ready to leave? I have a task in mind for you."

"I'm ready at any time. What kind of task shall I be performing for you? Assassination? Tracking? Information-gathering?"

"I would say, 'assassinate your former leader', but that would inevitably cause more problems than it's worth,"

Zetsuei laughed lightly.

"Yes, it would definitely not be worth it," he agreed. "Other than wishing for the death of the unrightfully ruling Tora no Taisho, what may I do for you?"

"Monitor him. Make certain that he has no plans of attacking the West or Mizumi-sama in the immediate future. I will expect weekly reports from you."

"Understood. Anything else?"

"Find out as much as you can about the woman called Zenatsu and, if you can, any information on our old enemy, Harukichi. That is all."

"May I make a request of my own, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The taiyoukai nodded.

"I was hoping that while I am out gathering information for you, I would be allowed to further investigate my clan's conspiracy and, if possible, attempt to make contact with the heir."

"By all means, go right ahead."

Zetsuei nodded and bowed respectfully, then turned on his heel to head out the nearest door. He walked briskly away and out of sight. Tsukimisou, who had said nothing throughout the entire exchange, suddenly rounded on her father.

"You would send him behind after enemy lines? After what he's suffered? He's only _just_ recovered, Chichiue! And yet, you're putting him back in death's path once more. Back into Noboru's reach, where that pseudo-Taisho can get a second chance at killing Zetsuei-kun and succeed!" she snapped angrily.

"Tsuki-chan, he knows what he's doing. It is merely a part of what is both required and expected of a man of his kind." The taiyoukai responded calmly.

"He's going to get himself killed! For you!"

The Taisho girl growled and whirled around, dashing after Zetsuei.

-

Tsukimisou caught Zetsuei just outside, standing on the raised wooden walkway that ran along the sides of the walls. She reached out and grabbed his shoulder before he could leave.

"Tsukimisou-san!" The Torayoukai boy exclaimed with surprise.

"Zetsuei-kun, promise me something, will you?"

"I don't know if I can."

"Just-just promise me that you'll come back alive. I wouldn't be able to bear it if you died. So please, be careful, and come back."

The corners of Zetsuei's mouth started to work their way into a grin. He nodded.

"Hai, I can promise you that. I will return." He said, affirming his vow.

"Also," Tsukimisou began hesitantly. "I have a favor to ask of you,"

"A favor?"

"Hai. If it isn't too much trouble, could you possibly, when you come back to deliver your weekly reports to my father, could you also come to visit me? So that I know you're alive, at least? And so that I can tend to you, too? I'm sure you'll probably get hurt out there. I just-I can't _stand_ staying here while you're off doing dangerous things on your own."

"I suppose I can do that. It appears to be important to you."

Tsukimisou sighed heavily with relief. "Thank you," she breathed.

Zetsuei merely nodded. Then, as he prepared to dash into the cover of the trees, Tsukimisou's grip tightened and she pulled the Torayoukai boy back and stepped toward him so that she now stood before him where they could see one another face to face.

"Wait," she pleaded softly.

The boy sighed but did as he was asked and waited. What Tsukimisou did next came as a complete shock to Zetsuei. The Taisho girl had pushed herself up onto her toes and lightly kissed the stunned Torayoukai on the cheek. She quickly pulled away, the corners of her mouth upturned into a small grin.

"There." She said, sounding almost triumphant.

"What was that for?" Zetsuei asked, puzzled.

"So you don't forget your promise. Do what you must and come back. Come back alive."

"Heh. I assure you, I could never forget my friend."

Tsukimisou smiled and nodded.

"Be safe," she murmured.

"I will."

Then Zetsuei disappeared into the trees and left the Western Lands behind.

-

_Clang! Clang! Clang!_

Zenatsu stood over the forge, hammering the red-hot blade of the imitation Tetsusaiga. Its wielder, the Inuyasha-doll, now completely recovered from his injuries with a fresh layer of clay watched his master work.

"My son," Zenatsu crooned. "You were very smart to use dragon-scaled Tetsusaiga against the true sword. The imitation I made for you was able to steal some of the true Tetsusaiga's youki. With the youki from the source, it will make you stronger. You will be unstoppable!"

"What will happen to the original sword?" The Copy Inuyasha asked.

"If enough youki is stolen, then your blade shall become the true Tetsusaiga, and it will leave Inuyasha with a useless scrap of metal. Surely that fool Toutousai should've expected something like this!"

"I thought you specialized only in making dolls," Harukichi's voice sounded a few feet away.

Zenatsu's shoulders tensed and she rounded on the San Ryuu, her eyes flashing in anger.

"Dolls are my specialty. I never said it was all I was limited to. With the right materials, I can make just about anything." She growled at him.

Harukichi smirked and nodded.

"Things are getting interesting. I grow tired of hiding in this godforsaken place with you-" he began, only to get cut off.

"No one is making you stay!" Zenatsu snapped. "If you want to leave, then _leave_! Trouble me no longer with your presence!"

"Let me finish, before you interrupt me so rudely, Zenatsu," Harukichi said icily. "What I was trying to say before you jumped so rapidly to conclusions, is that things outside this place are getting interesting. I hate to be missing out on all the fun. I think it's time I let you have free reign for a while. Go and find them, the ones who destroyed your creations, kill them all. Get revenge on Inuyasha for killing your former master, get revenge on his family!"

Suddenly Zenatsu's eyes were alight with glee. She began nodding fervently.

"Yes! I will make them pay for destroying my precious children! I will destroy them."

Harukichi's eyes narrowed as his face twisted into a grin. Zenatsu took the fire-hot imitation Tetsusaiga off the forge and set it in water to cool. The steam hissed from the blade, almost as if it were singing for blood. The doll maker then thrust the cooled blade into the Copy Inuyasha's hands and began running about the room wildly.

"Children!" she roared.

All of the dolls assembled before her.

"It is time for battle once again! Prepare yourselves! We leave no survivors this time."

-

Once Zenatsu and her dolls had left their cloud-shrouded dwelling, Harukichi's eyes narrowed conspiratorially. In a bright flash of light, he vanished from the now-empty shrine and reappeared in a bleak, dark thicket enclosed on all sides with trees and bushes and all sorts of dreary plant-life. In the middle of the thicket was a shabby hut that was just as dismal as the place it resided in. The curtained doorway fluttered in the wind which had suddenly taken on an eerie chill.

Harukichi shuddered slightly. This place made him ill-at-ease, but there was no one else but this man—creature, rather—that would delight in sharing the San Ryuu's twisted ideals. Harukichi didn't have the excuse of Naraku, a vengeful Kikyou, or the bitter old man, Haru, to use as his puppet. And now that his latest pawn, the now-deceased Neko no Taisho, was regrettably out of the picture, Harukichi was running out of people to turn to. So it was to this place that the Ryuuyoukai of the Sun came to with moderate reluctance. He didn't want to be here, but he had no choice. His options were limited. _Very_ limited.

The Ryuuyoukai strode towards the decrepit excuse-for-a-home, determined to not let his qualms interfere with his resolve. He had to do this. He had to make this choice. He repeated words defining his choice as an inevitability like a mantra. It was those words that propelled him forward, and before he knew it, he stood before the doorway, the curtain swaying innocuously in the icy wind.

"I am so very sorry to disturb you," Harukichi began formally, in what he hoped was a respectful tone of voice. "But I have come here seeking your aid. I have something that may interest you,"

There was no answer.

"I know that they cast you out because they believed you were dangerous. But I think that they feared your power. You know this, they feared you. They didn't want you to excel. They wanted to hold you back. The humble request I wish to ask will place no such limits upon you. I will allow you to use your full power. I will make no attempt to hold you back, like they did. All I ask is that you join me as a comrade, a brother-in-arms," The Ryuuyoukai went on.

The air became intensely colder and suddenly, Harukichi found himself experiencing a youki so powerful, so forceful, the San Ryuu fell to his knees. The murderous intent radiating from inside the confines of the hut were so overwhelming, so overpowering, that Harukichi found himself paralyzed; he was choking on the wild bloodlust that the man within the hut felt. Breathing was becoming intensely difficult.

"_**Who are you?**_" A voice of thunder answered finally.

"My name is Harukichi; I am an eighth-rank Ryuuyoukai of the Spirits. My element is the sun. And I, like you, was cast out of the North."

"_**We seem to have a common bond, Harukichi.**_"

"Hai, we do. And I'm sure you feel the same bitterness I do; the same rage against the clan for casting us out because of what we believed in."

"_**What business do you have to discuss with me that you feel I would find interesting? Speak quickly; my patience is not one of my strong points.**_"

"I wish to take back what is rightfully mine. Once, I ruled the North with Hinoki-sama at my side. She has since banished me and that bastard Ryouji has taken my place as ruler. I want to reclaim my right to the throne. And I want you to help me."

"_**What's in it for me? Why should I help you with something so petty? I fail to see anything interesting in your plans.**_"

"Other than freedom from this hell that _they_ condemned you to, I will bring you back to power. And you'll be free to destroy Ame and all those like her—more specifically, those fools she favors—leaving you free to manipulate fate as you so please,"

An enraged growl rang through the thicket.

"_**Ame? That bitch who cursed me to this life?**_"

"The very same."

"_**I hate that woman. I hate her for what she stole from me. I hate all of THEM!**_"

There was a pause.

"_**Very well, Harukichi. You have indeed interested me. I shall join you.**_"

Then the curtain-door fluttered and was pushed back against the wind. In that same second, Harukichi met a pair of half-crazed eyes. The man's face curled into a sinister grin, his elbow-length ice blue hair swaying in the breeze. Behind him, a massive scythe glinted in the light.

-

Back in the Western Lands, a new kind of tension had overtaken the confines of the palace walls.

"They're _what_?!" Hana exclaimed in disbelief.

"It seems that Zenatsu's trying to lure us out," Miroku repeated, having just told the miko-youkai the same words only to get her current shocked response. "She and her copies are freely roaming around attacking villages at random in hopes of forcing our hands in retaliation."

Miroku and Sango had just arrived that morning with the bad news. Zenatsu and her dolls were sighted not far from Kaede's village just hours before, preying on the defenseless farmers. With Kohaku, Minoru, and Tsuyu's help, both the monk and taijiya were able to drive off the village's attackers. But they couldn't take the time to celebrate a victory; for all their efforts, the only thing Miroku, Sango, and the others had succeeded in doing was giving Zenatsu and her cohorts a reason to attack a different village, much further away. Presently, Kohaku, Tsuyu, and Minoru were in pursuit of the doll-maker and her creations, trying to keep her from attacking elsewhere. The taijiya and monk had plans to return to their village immediately, not wanting to leave it vulnerable to attack.

"So what are we going to do? Do we go after them?" Mei Lhi asked.

"Keh. Not much of a choice," Inuyasha muttered irritably.

"Well, they certainly seem to enjoy annoying the hell out of us," Shippou chimed in.

"Too much," Tsurugi agreed.

"What now?" Kagome asked, sighing wearily.

Sesshoumaru sighed lightly and closed his eyes, as if in deep thought. When he opened them again, the resolve was clear in his amber-gold orbs.

"Anata?" Hana prompted him.

"We wait," The taiyoukai began slowly. "Zetsuei will return with further information soon. Until we know how great the threat is, we make no move."

-

Zetsuei was tracking. His quarry was Zenatsu and her group of dolls, just a hundred paces ahead. The Torayoukai scout was thankful the wind was blowing in the opposite direction. In any other case, he would have never allowed himself to get so close to his targets. It would've been a death wish.

"Where shall we go next, kaa-chan?" Zetsuei heard the high, clear voice of the Tsukimisou doll ask.

"To find another village, my dear," Zenatsu replied. "We're not far from one now."

"Why are we attacking them?" asked the Kagome doll.

"Ah, Kagome dearest," The doll maker began. "It's so that you can become stronger. I too, will grow stronger from your triumphs in battle."

"How?"

"There is a part of me in all of you; I have placed small parts of my soul within each and every one of you. When one of you is hurt, I hurt too, dearest ones. But when you are strong, I am strong too."

"So…when we're really powerful, what happens to you?"

"I become unstoppable, and so shall you."

Zetsuei ran silently behind the group, listening intently. The next village loomed over the horizon, growing steadily closer. Then a roar sounded behind the Torayoukai. He leapt backward into the shelter of the trees, watching as two taijiya, one older, and another a few years younger than himself, and a young monk soared across the open sky riding atop the back of a flaming Nekoyoukai.

Distantly, the sound of Zenatsu's frustrated growl rang out.

"Damned brats!" she spat.

"Don't even think about going for that village, demon!" The older taijiya yelled.

"How long will you pests keep this up?" The doll maker snarled.

"I can do this all day! I've been doing this since I was eleven. This isn't even a warm up."

Zenatsu's upper lip curled back. "Inuyasha, Kagome! Attack!"

The named dolls sprang into action and charged towards the riders of the flying Nekoyoukai. The Kagome doll prepared an arrow and fired.

Zetsuei reacted instantaneously. Without even thinking, he'd thrown out a small dagger which knocked Kagome's arrow straight out of the sky. It shuddered and fell harmlessly to the forest floor.

"Who's there?!" Several voices demanded.

Zetsuei made no move to answer. Zenatsu, irritated now, ran right for the three sitting on the fire-cat demon's back. She knocked them off their mount and ran onward, her dolls following after her.

"I've had enough! Harukichi, I've waited long enough; I've played your game for as long as I can! The West is mine!" She yelled in a rage. "Come, children! The assault shall begin once we arrive! Onward, to the Western Lands!"

Then Zenatsu and her five dolls were running at top speed and had nearly disappeared. The riders had regained their seats upon the Nekoyoukai's back. The two children appeared unharmed. The elder of the two appeared to have taken the brunt of the damage.

Zetsuei had no time to waste. The West was in danger. He didn't have a week. Sesshoumaru would want to hear of this at once. The Torayoukai scout gathered his strength to his legs and took off. He could only hope to make it back before Zenatsu.

At least one thing worked in the Torayoukai boy's favor: he knew his way back; a shortcut, actually. Zenatsu would have to take the long way. As long as he had that advantage over the doll maker, he knew he would return well before Zenatsu could arrive.

His legs were a blur as he continued to run. He could not stop, he could not rest. He could only run. Run fast and far.

The scenery around him passed by in a blur. Soon there was nothing left to see. The light began to wane; the sun began to set. How long had he been running?

The sky darkened, stars began twinkling in the young twilight. Zetsuei could distantly make out the walls surrounding the palace of the West. He was almost there. Smelling the air, there was only a very faint trace of Zenatsu's scent. She was a day behind, at least. This knowledge gave Zetsuei renewed strength and his speed increased.

The Torayoukai scout breathed deeply. He could smell _her_. It was not his enemy, but it was the smell of the woman who longed to welcome him home. He let the scent of a fresh spring rain fill him up, letting his legs carry him to its source.

"Zetsuei-kun!" Tsukimisou's voice exclaimed in surprise. "What're you doing back so early?"

Zetsuei came to an abrupt halt, gasping and panting, trying to catch his breath. The Inuyoukai girl's face was suddenly worried.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Finally, the Torayoukai caught his breath. "Zenatsu…she plans to attack the palace tonight."

"Then we have to tell my father!"

"Where is he?"

Tsukimisou said nothing, she looped her arm through one of Zetsuei's and began walking, leading him in the correct direction.

They walked briskly in total silence. Sesshoumaru was in the middle of a meeting. Tsukimisou didn't care. She threw open the door, causing many to gasp in surprise.

"Tsukimisou-sama!" Several of the advisors exclaimed in shock.

The taiyoukai looked to his daughter, seeing Zetsuei at her side. Immediately he knew that something was up if his informant had decided to return early.

"What news, Zetsuei?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"The doll-maker Zenatsu has plans to attack the palace by either tonight or early tomorrow morning. She makes her way with her dolls as we speak," Zetsuei replied.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" An advisor interrupted. "The current state of the castle, the fortifications, it's far too weak to withstand another attack at present. So many repairs need to be made to the supporting structures. The Western Lands cannot afford another direct assault!"

The taiyoukai smirked. "Sou ka," he said quietly. "Then we shall bring the fight to them."

"Nani?!" Several voices yelled in outrage.

Soon the room was full of all the advisors shouting.

"Rushing into battle without a plan!"

"Foolishness! It will do more harm than good!"

"You can't be serious Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Do you mean to try and kill yourself, milord?"

"Have you lost your mind, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Enough!" Sesshoumaru's voice sounded, silencing everyone at once. "I am the ruling lord, therefore whatever I choose to do is my own business. I know what I'm doing."

"Clearly, you do not, sire!"

"You have said that the castle cannot withstand the force of another attack, correct?"

The advisors nodded an affirmative.

"Then where will you suggest we fight this battle? Surely not within the castle walls! There is no other option, no other place to go. Our only option is to go out and meet them," The taiyoukai continued. "We would still have the advantage, regardless. This is our home; we know the land. Our enemy does not. We maintain the element of surprise."

Sesshoumaru's logic began working on the advisors and slowly, one by one, they began to agree.

"To battle!" They roared.

The taiyoukai nodded, turning to Zetsuei. "What direction will the attack come from?"

Zetsuei paused a moment in thought. "From the northeast. Zenatsu is leading the group and she appears to have very little knowledge of combat strategy. She's going for the obvious assault,"

"Head on?"

"Precisely."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Then this will be easy,"

"Very."

"What can I do to help, Chichiue?" Tsukimisou asked quietly, not wanting to be left out of the action.

"You will be staying here, where it's safe," The taiyoukai replied.

"Chichiue!" The Inuyoukai girl protested. "Please, I can fight! I can help! Don't leave me behind!"

"Tsukimisou," Sesshoumaru said, his tone serious. "For seven years I thought you were dead. You've just come back to us all; I don't want to lose you again," He paused a moment. "This isn't your fight. It isn't your burden to bear."

"But it is my fight, my burden, Chichiue. Zenatsu made a copy of me. I won't sit around and let myself be used like that! Besides, I'll be in less danger if I'm with you. At least you won't be too far away if I get into trouble. For all we know, Zenatsu could have half her dolls attack where the rest of us will be, and the other half go straight for the palace. Would you leave me so unprotected then?"

The taiyoukai sighed and at long last relented. Tsukimisou was right. "Very well, Tsuki-chan, your reasoning is infallible."

With that said, Sesshoumaru swept briskly out of the room, Tsukimisou and Zetsuei trailing after him, leaving the bewildered advisors behind.

"Assemble everyone in the throne room. We need to prepare." The taiyoukai instructed after the three had walked several paces down the long, winding hallways.

"Hai!" Tsukimisou and Zetsuei chorused.

And then they were gone.

-

Everyone had assembled in the throne room within minutes, weapons in hand. Each face in the room regarded Sesshoumaru with expectant, curious expressions, awaiting orders.

"Zenatsu plans to attack us here," The taiyoukai began. "But why wait for our enemy? Why not go out and meet them?"

"It's about time we catch _them_ off guard instead of being caught off guard ourselves," Tsurugi agreed.

"Where do you plan to stage this front?" Hana asked.

Sesshoumaru smiled, something he only ever did rarely. "Is anyone opposed to going for a walk in the forest?"

"Just like old times, eh Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha said with a smirk.

"Hai, just like old times."

With that said, everyone shouldered their weapons and headed outside into the trees. They ran alongside one another for a time, searching for a good place to stage the assault against Zenatsu.

"Not too close to the palace," Sesshoumaru had warned.

After about an hour of running and searching, the perfect spot was found. A large clearing ringed with densely packed trees would serve as their battlefield. Zenatsu's time of reckoning had come.

"Minna-san, hide within the tree line until Zenatsu arrives. We'll jump out and surprise them before they can get too close to the palace," Zetsuei instructed.

Immediately, everyone took places within the trees, seeming to disappear in the greenery. All that was left to do was wait.

-

Zenatsu raced through the skies, her dolls on either side of her. She was focused on the palace looming on the horizon, growing ever closer as she pressed onward.

"Not far now, my children," she crooned. "Soon, we will get our revenge!"

The dolls murmured in excitement, eager for the coming battle ahead. The anticipation was too much to bear. Many of them raced ahead, anxious to get to the battlefield.

A loud cry of "IMA!" stopped Zenatsu dead in her tracks.

Sesshoumaru leapt out of the tree line first, his blade already drawn, headed straight for the doll maker. Zenatsu barely had time to block; the resounding clang from their weapons straining against one another rang in her ears.

"Children! Kill them! Kill all of them!" she shrieked.

Upon their master's command, the dolls sprang into action at once, lunging towards their originals.

"Don't try to fight yourself!" Hana called out to the others. "Your copies are heading for you for a reason. Don't give them the opportunity to catch you off guard! Try and fight someone else's double."

"Sure, _now_ you tell us!" Inuyasha growled irritably, Tetsusaiga drawn, already blocking his copy's Tetsusaiga.

"Couldn't you have given us a little prior warning, Hana-chan?" Kagome asked, while dodging arrows coming from her own copy.

"Yeah, a little forewarning would've been nice, Hahaue," Tsurugi complained, stepping out of the way as Zetsuei and his double battled at speeds faster than the eye could follow.

Nearby, Mei Lhi was having her own problems. "Oi! Nii-chan! Switch with me!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, nodding. The two back-stepped toward one another until they were back to back.

"Switch!"

The two reversed sides, catching their respective doubles by surprise, both getting wounded in the process. The hanyou siblings smirked at one another, going for a second strike.

"This is too easy," Inuyasha complained. "You had more fight in you the last time we met."

"Is that so?" The Inuyasha-doll asked. "Then in that case…Dragon-scaled Tetsusaiga!"

The Inuyasha-doll blurred out of sight and suddenly, Inuyasha was fighting both his copy and his sister's. Mei Lhi leapt at her double, shoving her away from her brother, leaving him free to fight. However, every time the swords of Inuyasha and his copy met, little by little, the youki of the true Tetsusaiga began to wither away, strengthening the power of the imitation of the Great Fang.

"Your Tetsusaiga is _mine_!"

"I don't think so! Kurae! Kaze no Kizu!"

"Bakuryuuha!"

"Shimatta!"

Inuyasha leapt out of the path of the Bakuryuuha, just missing it by a hair. The Dragon-scaled Tetsusaiga of the imitation blade had drained much of the Tetsusaiga's power. It had almost no youki left. Growling, Inuyasha sheathed his beloved sword.

'_No matter what happens, this Tetsusaiga is mine. No one is going to take it from me!_' The hanyou vowed.

"Looks like I'll have to take you on with my bare hands! That's fine with me!"

The Inuyasha-doll looked on with amusement as the real Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and shifted into a ready stance. The two charged at one another, sword and claws raised.

"Kongousouha!"

"Sankon Tetsusuo!"

Inuyasha dodged the diamond spears with ease, reaching his intended target—the fake Tetsusaiga. His claws cut cleanly through the metal, breaking the imitation sword in half, releasing all the youki it had stolen. At Inuyasha's hip, the hilt of Tetsusaiga began to pulse as its power returned in full.

"Please, don't kill me!" The copy pleaded.

"Keh. You should've thought of that earlier."

And without a moment's hesitation, Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and had the experience of slicing off his own head. A very peculiar experience to say the least.

'_Even though it's not me, it's still weird to see my own head rolling._' The hanyou thought while subconsciously feeling his own neck, ensuring his own head was still properly attached to his body.

Nearby, Mei Lhi was pinned against the ground, her copy with an imitation of Tetsusage at her throat. Inuyasha moved to go help her, but found he didn't need to. The hanyou kicked her copy off of her, sending her flying across the clearing, hitting a tree. Mei Lhi then threw Tetsusage, pinning her copy to the same tree, the blade piercing the doll in the heart.

"That looked like it hurt," The hanyou woman commented, shuddering momentarily as she imagined what it would feel like if it really had been her pinned to the tree. Within seconds she was stifling laughter—the thought of being pinned to a tree brought back memories of her brother back before she had met him. He'd been pinned to a tree at that time. The irony of it all was pretty hilarious.

At that same instant, Hana and Kagome, in a tag-team assault, turned the Kagome-doll into a clay pincushion.

"She's not getting up after that!" Hana said with a smirk.

"Definitely not," Kagome agreed.

"I thought she'd _never_ stop jumping around!"

"You and me both!"

The miko and miko-youkai quickly high-fived one another before turning to look toward whoever needed help next.

-

While the others were fighting their battles, Zetsuei and Tsukimisou were in the midst of theirs. Both could only wish that their fights could be so easy.

The Tsukimisou-doll grinned devilishly, reaching behind her back for a long sword. "I'm going to enjoy this," she said, stepping closer to her intended target.

"Nani!" The real Tsukimisou exclaimed. "What are you doing with that?" she demanded, pointing at the sword in her copy's hand. "You're supposed to be as strong as we are and know only as much as we do!"

"Tough luck, princess. Zenatsu-sama made me better than you," The copy answered, pausing to laugh. "What are you going to do? Dance at me? Oooh I'm _so_ scared!"

Tsukimisou's eyes narrowed in anger. "I can do more than just dance," she said coolly.

"We'll see about that."

The two leapt at one another, the copy-Tsukimisou bringing the sword down upon the Taisho heiress. Much to the copy's surprise, Tsukimisou caught and stopped the blade with her bare hands, her palms on either side of the sword (A/N: Yeah, she just pulled a Michelle Yeoh from "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor." Horrible movie, but the Michelle Yeoh vs. Jet Li battle was probably the _only_ interesting and good part of the entire movie. Maria Bello SUCKED as Evey. Bring back Rachel Weiz). Enraged, the copy wrenched the sword from the Inuyoukai girl's grip, cutting the girl's hands in the process, making her release the blade.

A few feet away, Zetsuei kicked his copy down to the floor, pinning him to the earthen ground with several well-placed daggers. "Tsukimisou-san, daijoubu ka?" he asked, concerned.

"Hai!" The Taisho girl replied, in the process of dodging her copy's attempted attacks.

'_I can look at this battle just like dancing. A dance of war. Anywhere the sword is coming from is an error in my dancing—how I shouldn't be dancing…_'

The Tsukimisou-doll swung the sword around in an arc headed straight for the real Tsukimisou's middle region, causing the Inuyoukai girl to bend over backwards to avoid it. The strikes came faster now, from more obscure directions, making Tsukimisou have to twist and turn her body in directions only a dancer like herself would be capable of doing.

Zetsuei's copy had freed himself from his temporary imprisonment and was back on the offensive, deciding to take advantage of Tsukimisou, who was currently vulnerable to attack, being focused on dodging her copy's attacks. The Zetsuei-doll lunged forward, drawing a kodachi.

Tsukimisou had scarcely a split-second to react. From the corner of her eye she saw the coming attack from the Zetsuei-doll—there was no time to dodge. She was going to be hit and it was going to hurt. Then, before she knew it, something had seized her around the waist and she found herself pressed against a tree, someone behind her was holding her close, shielding her from harm. Tsukimisou didn't have to look to know who was behind her. She knew just by the feel. How many times had her hands traced the planes of that body?

A sharp clang of metal sounded as Zetsuei parried his copy's kodachi with one of his own. Tsukimisou looked up into the Torayoukai's worried eyes, relieved.

"Arigatou," she murmured.

But Zetsuei couldn't respond. The sound of steel grinding against steel rang loudly in the Inuyoukai girl's ears; Zetsuei and his double were straining their blades against one other. Their strength was equal, the two were evenly matched. Then Zetsuei's kodachi started to be pushed back. The copy was winning.

Tsukimisou saw an opening, turning her body in Zetsuei's hold so that her chest was against his. She was going to purify the copy. Carefully, she gathered her miko energy to her palms, making sure not to touch the real Zetsuei. Reaching as far as her arms would extend, she seized the doll, making contact with the doll's chest, her miko aura sparking around her.

It was electrifying. The miko energy gathered in the Inuyoukai girl's palms crackled and snapped. And slowly, the doll smoked, sizzled, and finally burned. The aura overwhelmed the doll's body and the hardened clay began to crack, until finally, it shattered into a hundred pieces.

Now only the Tsukimisou doll remained. Zetsuei quickly finished it off, plunging his kodachi into the doll's heart before cutting the hard clay body in half.

-

As the dolls were defeated one after the other, Zenatsu was busy dancing just out of the reach of Sesshoumaru's sword. When the final doll fell, the doll maker's luck had run out.

She was cornered. The taiyoukai's blade was at her throat, Tsurugi's blade at her back. Desperate for a way out of her present situation, Zenatsu lunged to the side, grabbing Kagome as she moved. Within seconds, the tables had turned.

"I'll kill her!" The doll maker hissed. As if to prove her point, she raised her weapon to Kagome's neck.

Inuyasha growled, furious. "Get your hands off of her!"

"Or what, little hanyou? You'll kill me? I'd like to see you _try_! Go ahead. Let's see who's fastest. Can you kill me before I slit her throat?"

Then Kagome rolled her eyes. "Honestly…" she muttered. She gathered miko energy to her palm and reached behind her, making contact with the doll maker's chest.

Zenatsu screamed in pain, releasing Kagome at once. The miko sighed and dusted off her hands before lobbing her beloved hanyou on the head.

"Really, I can look after myself, Inuyasha. I'm not the same damsel-in-distress I was when I was younger," she said, sounding a little annoyed. "Have some faith in me, will you?"

Inuyasha was too busy massaging the top of his head to hear her.

"So, where were we before the almost-hostage situation?" Tsurugi questioned aloud, voicing his thoughts to no one in particular. "Oh that's right," he continued. "You were being cornered," he raised his sword to point it at the doll maker, who paled instantly.

"Before we kill you, do you have an explanation for your actions?" Sesshoumaru asked, also pointing his sword at Zenatsu.

"Harukichi made me do it! He _used_ me!" The doll maker seethed. "That disgusting bastard has his mind set on conquest. I was another pawn in his scheme."

"Do you know where Harukichi is now?"

"No. He left, knowing that things would come to this."

"Then you are of no further use to me."

Zenatsu's scream rang out through the clearing and then, there was silence.

* * *

**A/N:** Wow. I'm _so_ sorry this took so long to finish. My first quarter of college was a nightmare. Okay, that's over exaggerating. It wasn't _that_ bad. But I was still busy as hell. I had homework and stuff to do. I also had to survive my first midterm and final exams. So that was "fun." Then, I've been working _a lot_ on my novel. I'm writing chapter nine now. YAY! And yes, _Twilight_ has been pulling me back frequently. However, I am happy to say that I have caught up with all my anime-watching. And I randomly decided to watch some Inuyasha episodes—the dubs…ick—and I found myself re-inspired to finish off this chapter. It's been long overdue. I know I meant to finish it before I started college, but I just couldn't get it done in time. Sorry! It took me a _long_ time to finish this one. I just didn't really know where I wanted to go with this chapter. But finally, last week I figured it out. And now that I've finished this one, things should hopefully go much more smoothly. Unfortunately, I start my Winter 2009 Quarter on January 5, 2009 and my new schedule has me going to school all five days of the week. My Fall 2008 Quarter had me going to classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. So I will _TRY_ to have an update sometime during Winter Quarter. But I'll make no promises. Finals week for Winter Quarter is the week of March 16-20, and then I'll be on break again. (I've been on break from Fall Quarter since December 10.) So I should be able to update then, before I start my Spring 2009 Quarter. Again, I'm really, really sorry for the really long delay. I'll try my best at getting out chapter 24 quicker XP Ja ne, until next time!

PS: In order to make up for the huge delay between chapters, this chapter is 16 pages. So it's extra-long for your enjoyment. XD


	24. Tension

**A/N:** Woot! We're back yet again! It's New Year's Eve, December 31st, the very same day I finally finished writing Chapter 23! Unfortunately, as of two nights ago, I'm suffering from strep throat. It's not as bad today. I was feverish all of yesterday, December 30th, but I believe I've broken my fever today. Yay! Although, my throat has been really sore. Both yesterday and today, I've been unable to speak. Except today, now it hurts to swallow, speak, cough, sneeze, and even open my mouth period. Hopefully I get over it soon. I don't want to be a mute! I want to be able to eat and drink again! T-T Anyway, enough of my bitching. To do the disclaimer today, we have…Hinata!

Hinata: Aki-chan doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or anything she's alluded to or made references to in her story. She owns her characters, the plot, and the stories themselves. The characters Ichitani Mizumi, Kyoriko Ryoshima, Ikarisu Nintai, and Miseru Sen are © to Carrie, the most awesome and amazing co-author. The character Ayasegawa Zetsuei is hereby © to A.J., aka RenegadeAmish, the ever-awesome best friend o' mine.

Without any further hindrances, I present, Chapter 24.

PS: Prepare yourselves for one of the longest games of rhetorical questions! Should the rhetorical nature of these questions cause strokes, aneurysms, ulcers, or other stressful side effects such as neck or back pain, please consult your local medicine cabinet or pharmacy and promptly take two Tylenol with a glass of water. Cease reading and return in 20-25 minutes for best results.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-four: Tension

The shattered remnants of the dolls were strewn out across the forest floor. The mediums used to create the dolls slowly started to burn. The hardened clay disintegrated into a fine powder and blew away. Embers from the burning mediums caught on Zenatsu's blood and soon, the doll maker's lifeless body was engulfed in the flames.

"Minna-san, let's head back to the palace," Hana said after a few moments of silence.

"Hai," The others agreed.

"Perhaps some manner of celebration is in order?" Sesshoumaru suggested.

"Yeah. Zenatsu's dead. There's one less thing to worry about," Tsurugi replied.

"Seems like a good enough reason to me to celebrate." Inuyasha said with a nod.

"It's about time we had a chance to unwind. We've all been on-edge for some time now," Kagome added.

Without a backward glance, everyone turned and headed for the comforts of their home, anxious to leave the forest clearing far behind them.

-

"Kanpai!"

Everyone raised their glasses of sake and clinked them together in a celebratory toast. All raised their cups to their lips and drank.

The celebration was in full swing now. The palace halls were full of good-natured cheer and high spirits. Joyous laughter rang out everywhere. It was the first time in weeks that the residents of the Western Lands could truly enjoy a little peace.

Rin and Shippou had joined in the festivities; Shippou had adamantly refused to drink alone. Rin just didn't want to miss out on all the fun.

"Another toast!" The kitsune announced. "To victory!"

"To less worries!" Hana chimed in.

"To never being underestimated!" Kagome added, sending Inuyasha a sharp look.

Cups clinked together a second time.

Tsukimisou pressed a hand to her forehead, feeling quite dizzy. The sake was incredibly strong—much stronger than she had anticipated. She couldn't help but wonder how people were able to drink it day in and day out.

'_Mou…I'm more accustomed to pouring sake, not drinking it!_' she complained mentally.

Looking around the room, the Taisho heiress found herself becoming most irritable. Everyone else seemed to have no difficulty at all with the drink. Even Tsurugi was just fine. The Inuyoukai girl's irritation mounted, knowing that her younger brother could easily withstand the effects of the sake.

'_Has Chichiue been letting him drink?_' she wondered.

She locked eyes with Zetsuei, who stood across the room, leaning against the wall and quietly sipping at his sake. The Torayoukai regarded her with an expression that read 'Are you feeling alright?' Tsukimisou nodded, regretting the motion as she did so. A wave of vertigo overtook her and she staggered. In the time it took to blink, she was already righted and being held steady by Zetsuei's arm.

"Arigatou," she murmured embarrassedly.

"You haven't had liquor before, have you?" The Torayoukai asked her pointedly.

"No, never. Back in Gion, it was the job of maiko and geisha to pour the drinks, not to partake in the drinking. It was frowned upon to get drunk while working. We're professional entertainers. Dancing while intoxicated never fared well for anyone."

"I see."

"And what about you? How have you developed such a strong constitution?"

"It's an acquired resistance."

"Occupational hazard?"

Zetsuei grinned. "Precisely."

"How ever did I know?"

"You're most perceptive, Tsukimisou-san."

Just then, Shippou came around with the sake bottle, refilling everyone's cups. Rin sighed exasperatedly but made no comment. There was a third toast, and then a fourth, and a fifth. By this point, the room had grown quite loud, mostly on account of Shippou's singing and Inuyasha's unnecessarily loud speaking. Sesshoumaru and Hana had long since retired, Tsurugi not far behind them, complaining of a headache.

By her third drink, Tsukimisou was already losing her sense of self. Thankfully, Zetsuei had enough sense to lead the Taisho heiress away from the drunken party.

"Really, Zetsuei-kun, I'm fine!" The Inuyoukai girl had tried to protest.

Zetsuei had had to reach out an arm and secure it around the girl's waist to keep her from falling over as she walked. Taking note of her near-mishap, Tsukimisou giggled innocently, leaning onto the Torayoukai.

"You need to rest." Zetsuei said firmly. "A lady of your status shouldn't be in such a state as this."

"Ne, are you worried about me, Zetsuei-kun?" she teased.

"I am concerned only about your health, Tsukimisou-san. Nothing more."

"Are you _sure_ about that? Because I don't know about you, but I've always thought you were pretty cute,"

The Inuyoukai girl's words made Zetsuei stop walking and stare at the girl in shock.

"More than cute, actually," Tsukimisou went on. "You're very, very handsome…"

Zetsuei quickly turned away to hide his embarrassed flush. But he was not quick enough. Tsukimisou spotted it and grinned.

"Ne, Zetsuei-kun what are you embarrassed about? Was it something I said?" she asked, innocently reaching up to run her fingers through the Torayoukai's dark green hair.

"Tsukimisou-san, please…this isn't proper."

"I don't see how propriety fits in with any of this."

"Consider our social standings, Tsukimisou-san."

"What do you mean, Zetsuei-kun? I don't understand."

"Your father is a taiyoukai. I'm nothing but a commoner."

"That shouldn't stop you."

Then Tsukimisou placed both hands against Zetsuei's chest, pressing him against the wall. She raised herself up onto her tiptoes, leaning closer in to him. Zetsuei's heart sped up and his breath caught in his throat. She was only centimeters away and getting steadily closer. She was so close; he could feel her breath tickling his cheek.

"Tsukimisou…san…"

Her body was pressed against his. He could feel the beats of her heart as it thudded in her chest. She was much too close.

And then, Tsukimisou gasped. She pushed away from him, her hands still pressed lightly against his chest. She quickly turned her head away from him, her cheeks burning with color, clearly startled by what she had almost done. Zetsuei froze, stunned about what had almost transpired.

"Kami-sama, what am I doing?" The Inuyoukai girl exclaimed in surprise.

Tsukimisou had come to her senses at last. With some effort, Zetsuei managed to force back the flood of confusing emotions coursing through him to muster up a response.

"You-you were clearly experiencing some ill-effects from the sake, Tsukimisou-san." He said, his voice wavering ever so slightly as he spoke.

"H-hai. I think-I think I should get to my room now," The Inuyoukai girl replied, her voice shaking.

Zetsuei nodded, reaching up to take Tsukimisou's hands from his chest, stepping away from her. "Are you steady enough to walk on your own Tsukimisou-san or will you require my assistance?"

Testing herself, the Inuyoukai girl moved a few paces down the hallway, staggering as she did so. Before she could fall over, Zetsuei had already caught her and was supporting her weight.

Together the two of them made their way through the halls, headed for Tsukimisou's room. After several minutes' slow progress, they arrived at their intended destination. Zetsuei slid open the door, setting the Taisho girl down gently onto her futon.

"Thank you for doing this," Tsukimisou whispered.

"I'll stay with you until morning. You'll be ill when you wake."

"That's very kind of you,"

"You need to rest."

"Hai…"

Tsukimisou shut her eyes and fell deeply asleep within minutes. Zetsuei sighed lightly and went to take a seat against the far wall of the room.

Now alone in the dark, Zetsuei allowed himself time to think. His thoughts were immediately drawn to what had almost transpired in the hall. His chest tingled where Tsukimisou's hands had been. He could still feel the warmth of her touch, her scent—the fragrance of a fresh spring rain—and the way the air had felt electric when their lips almost met! How near-painful it was when that moment ended and they both had to pull away. The feel of his hands on hers…

So many foreign sensations and feelings were coursing through the Torayoukai boy. He had been raised to ignore his emotions. Apathy was a requirement for his profession. He was an assassin, a spy, an informant. There was no time for emotions and if there was, it was emotions like anger, disdain, and indifference. The emotions he felt now were incomparable to the things he had felt before. Those old feelings were black and sullied with the blood of all the people he had been ordered to kill, the lives he had had to destroy. These new feelings were different. They were purer, truer, and kinder. They were unlike anything that he'd ever felt before.

Zetsuei did not understand these new feelings and yet, at the same time, it seemed that some part of him did.

Longing, want, desire, passion…so many emotions, so many new sensations. Why did he long for the feel of Tsukimisou's lips on his? Why did he want it so badly? Why did he desire her in ways other than just her company? What was this passion he suddenly felt? Or had it been there all along, just hiding below the surface, unnoticed?

He had never felt the way he did about any living person before until Tsukimisou. What was this feeling? Did it have a name? If so what was it? Love? Was that what he was feeling? Was it even possible?

Zetsuei had read about things like love. He had even seen it in action with the people around him but never had he experienced it for himself. Day by day, Zetsuei witnessed many forms of love. The love of a parent for a child, a child's love for their parent. The love of a husband for his wife, a wife's love for her husband. The love shared between lovers. The love of a friend and companion. A child's love for his siblings. So many kinds of love, so many ways to love. Did Zetsuei love?

Love. Was this what he felt? Was this the name he had been looking for? Whatever it was, it couldn't be allowed. It _wouldn't_ be allowed. Tsukimisou was a noble and he was nothing—a nobody. He had no status, no social standing. He was no more than a peasant, for all it was worth.

But…if it was love—which, the more Zetsuei thought about it, the more sure of it he became—it was not unrequited. Tsukimisou had to feel something back. Why else would she have said what she did in the hallway? Why else would she have acted the way she did?

Memories of Tsukimisou's behavior towards him recurred to Zetsuei. She was always at his side, latching onto his arm, always looking out for him. And then…there was that incident right before he had set off in search of Zenatsu. It had been a simple gesture—a kiss on the cheek. But had it been as innocuous at it seemed? Did it possibly mean more? Was it even possible? Could Tsukimisou love him?

Or was he reading too much into this? A noble lady like herself could _never_ love him. His and her spheres were on two different planes, coexisting side by side, but never touching.

Tsukimisou thought of him only as a friend, a close ally. What had happened in the hallway just moments ago was not of her own doing. She was intoxicated, she didn't know what she was saying or doing. That had to be it. Zetsuei was just imagining affections that weren't really there. He was confused and conflicted by emotions he didn't understand and as a result it was causing him wanton fantasies that would never come to fruition.

And so, resolved, and resigned, Zetsuei leaned back against the far wall and closed his eyes and went to sleep.

-

In the East, Noboru walked through the palace halls, finding rest elusive. For many days, sleep had been evading him. Ever since Mizumi's appointment as Neko no Taisho, the day that the nearly-forgotten Tora clan conspiracy had been made public, there were whispers everywhere.

The Tora clan was doubting him.

News of the cover-up nearly eighteen years ago had spread among the clan like wildfire. Everywhere he looked, the Tora clan people looked at him with mistrusting eyes. Hisses followed him everywhere. And then there were voices on the winds, people wondering who the true heir was and listing possible candidates. The young ones sought out the older Torayoukai clan members, the ones old enough to remember Zenjiro and his family.

Noboru knew he needed to act fast. If he didn't, soon all would be uncovered. He would be revealed as a fraud and would soon have a full-scale uprising on his hands. The entire clan would overthrow him and strip him of his title and, inevitably, execute him for high treason.

This Noboru could not allow. He _wouldn't_ allow it.

"It's all _her_ fault," The pseudo-Taisho growled furiously. "Damn her!" he roared. "May Ichitani Mizumi rot in hell! She's the one! She started it all! The Tora clan could have lived in blissful ignorance…but no, she had to destroy everything. She will _pay_. I'll make sure of that! Consider yourself my enemy, Mizumi!"

With all due haste, not caring how late the hour was, Noboru headed out for the Neko clan lands.

Mizumi was a traitor to the East. She befriended those _dogs_. The Inuyoukai clan would always be the sworn enemy of the East. Mizumi's allegiance to them would cost her everything—even her own life.

Yes, she would pay, and pay dearly.

Ichitani Mizumi's days were numbered.

-

The halls of the Neko clan palace were peaceful. The sounds of the palace going to sleep rang out from every corner. A futon being laid down, the whisper of the wind as it rustled a soft silken sleeping kimono, the creak of slow footsteps, heavy with sleep, against the floorboards, the sharp, quick breath to put out a lamp, and the steady, even breathing of those already deep in their slumbers.

It was a very quiet night in the East. The cicadas were out, chirping their evening melodies, and the fireflies created fairy lights within the tall grasses.

Mizumi sighed, rubbing her eyes, which had begun to itch with tiredness. Masashi had quite thoroughly made a huge mess of things. So many small villages were starving, others were threatening cessation from the Neko clan and starting their own province, and some had already threatened a direct attack on the palace itself. Thus, Mizumi had had to write many letters to the village headsmen explaining the change of power and expressing her deepest and sincerest apologies for the current conditions for those villages, swearing to have the bimonthly food carriages return with fresh deliveries. Upon receiving the letters, all hostilities ceased, and the first of the food carriages had been sent out and delivered several pounds of rice and fresh vegetables and meats.

The reparation process was slow, but it was coming along. In time, all of Masashi's corruption would be completely weeded out. Things in the East would be how they were supposed to be: peaceful, orderly.

Wind rustled through the trees, causing the leaves to make a soft hissing sound. Mizumi yawned hugely, stacking some paperwork together. The hour had grown late and the young Neko no Taisho was exhausted. It was about time she got herself to bed. She could finish the rest of the paperwork tomorrow. It had been a trying day. She deserved the rest—she earned it.

It was then that the fragile peace was shattered.

Quick approaching footsteps reached Mizumi's ears, and the door to her study burst open. It was one of her maids, Kyoriko, gasping and struggling to catch her breath. Her eyes were wide with terror and they kept darting around in every direction, as if she were afraid of being watched.

"Mizumi-sama!" Kyoriko shouted urgently.

"Hai?" Mizumi asked.

"Please, Mizumi-sama, you must run! Your life depends on it!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Noboru has come! He intends to kill you! He's here, Mizumi-sama. It won't be long before he finds you. He's searching the palace as we speak!"

Mizumi's eyes narrowed. "That bastard cannot kill me. His head will be rolling long before he can get within eight inches of me!" she growled.

"But Mizumi-sama, he's killed many of the palace guards on his way here!"

"Then summon the army!"

An enraged roar and the sound of not-so-distant screams shattered the sleepy silence that had settled over the East. Mizumi gritted her teeth, her face was set.

"Kyoriko, I need you to run to the West. Tell Sesshoumaru what's going on. I have a feeling I'm about to need his help."

"Noboru will kill you! I can't leave you, Mizumi-sama!" Kyoriko protested.

"Yes you will, Kyoriko! That is an _order_! Go! At least if you hurry, there's a chance you can return with Sesshoumaru in time to save me."

"But Mizumi-sama—!"

"No buts, Kyoriko! I'll be alright. Mamoru, Miseru, and Ikarisu will be here. Instruct them on your way out to keep you updated with what's going on here so you can pass it along to Sesshoumaru. You'll be under his command from now on, understood?"

Another roar sounded, this time much closer.

"I can't do this, Mizumi-sama! I just can't leave you!" The maid sobbed, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"You must! Now go! Before Noboru catches you! Run! NOW!"

Kyoriko nodded and quickly shot out the door and out of sight. Mizumi stood from her seat at the low table and withdrew her sword, Hyorimetsu, from under the desk. She unsheathed the blade and went into a ready stance, awaiting Noboru's imminent arrival.

Mizumi didn't have to wait long. Heavy, slow footsteps made their way down the hall coming closer with every step. And then, Noboru stood in the doorway, with a smirk on his face.

"Hello Mizumi," he said pleasantly.

"What do you want?" The Nekoyoukai girl demanded coldly, raising her sword.

The pseudo-Taisho's face hardened. "Your life!"

And then Noboru lunged for Mizumi's throat.

-

Birds chirped at the approaching dawn. The sun began to creep over the horizon and slowly the sleeping world began to wake.

Tsukimisou slowly opened her eyes, an unfamiliar pounding in her head. She sat up quickly, regretting it instantly. Now sitting upright, the pain was worse and a wave of queasiness washed over her. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably and she felt sick. Staggering to her feet, she made for the washroom, but her progress was slow, the throbbing ache in her head was almost crippling.

At that moment, Zetsuei stirred and was at the Inuyoukai girl's side at once.

"Tsukimisou-san?" he asked softly. "Are you alright?"

"Please, Zetsuei-kun, I'm going to be sick." The Taisho heiress gasped.

Zetsuei nodded once in understanding. "Wait here, I'll get you a basin."

And then he was gone, but before Tsukimisou could fully register his absence, he had returned and not a moment too soon. The moment the cool ceramic bowl was under her chin, Tsukimisou's stomach heaved and began to empty itself into the bottom of the basin.

Zetsuei sighed and as a means of comfort, began to stroke the girl's hair, secretly marveling at the feel of the silken strands between his fingers.

After some time, the heaving of Tsukimisou's stomach stopped and the Taisho heiress leaned away from the basin. She groaned, leaning into Zetsuei's touch. Upon her reaction, the Torayoukai's fingers paused in mid-stroke.

"Mmm…don't stop," Tsukimisou murmured, closing her eyes and sighing contentedly. "It feels nice."

Zetsuei resumed running his fingers through the Inuyoukai girl's hair, trying not to enjoy himself too much.

Tsukimisou leaned her head back, allowing Zetsuei to stroke more of her hair. She reveled in the sensation of his fingertips sliding past her silver locks, enjoying the feeling of an unfamiliar shiver running from the crown of her head all the way down to her toes. Her body was tingling everywhere and for the first time, desire seized her, its searing heat slowly burning her as its flames lapped against her heated skin.

The feelings that Tsukimisou felt now did not surprise her. She had always known that they had been there. She had simply been denying herself all this time. Why else would she have acted as she had the night before? The sake had not altered her mind, it had simply made her let down her guard and as a result, the feelings she had been subconsciously suppressing had broken free.

She knew it wouldn't be long. Zetsuei was smart; he would soon put two and two together. He would know how she felt. But there was one thing that Tsukimisou didn't know. Did Zetsuei have feelings for her, too? Well, there was only one way to find out.

"Ne, Zetsuei-kun," she called.

"Hai, Tsukimisou-san?"

"About what I said last night—"

"—it's fine, Tsukimisou-san. You were intoxicated last night. I'm sure you meant none of it."

The Taisho girl shook her head. "Iie, Zetsuei-kun," she mumbled.

"Iie?" The Torayoukai boy questioned, genuinely puzzled.

"There was truth to the words I spoke last night,"

Zetsuei's eyes widened in shock. "Tsukimisou-san, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I meant what I said, Zetsuei-kun. I really do care for you."

"It's forbidden, Tsukimisou-san. You cannot feel that way for me."

"But I do, Zetsuei-kun. Even if it is forbidden, even if our social statuses are on opposite ends, I care for you." The Taisho heiress said seriously, pausing to draw a deep, calming breath. "And I just have one question," she paused again, worrying her lower lip with her teeth for a moment before she went on. "Zetsuei-kun, please be honest with me; do you care for me too?"

The Torayoukai went very still, not even daring to draw breath. How could he answer? He couldn't be honest—who knew what sorts of fiends were listening right now? He had to lie. He had to lie to protect her. And yet, he did not want to lie. Zetsuei's body and soul cried out to be honest, to confess his feelings, to let it be known that he loved the Inuyoukai girl, yet his mind protested, warning him of the illegality of it all, of propriety. He sighed. He would do the right thing, even if it hurt him to do so, even if the pain it caused was enough to make him wish to die.

"Tsukimisou-san, you are someone that I was assigned by your father to protect. You are my charge, nothing more,"

The Inuyoukai girl's eyes widened, hurt and rejection clouding the soft golden-amber orbs. "You don't…want me?" she choked out, her voice distorted by pain.

"No."

Then, she was hysterical. "No! That has to be a lie, Zetsuei-kun! I know it's a lie! I've seen the way you look at me! You must care for me too! You _have_ to!"

"I'm sorry, Tsukimisou-san, but I do not care for you any more than a comrade."

Tsukimisou stood and Zetsuei pulled away, returning to his place in the far corner of the room. Tears brimmed in the Inuyoukai heiress's eyes as she turned to face the Torayoukai.

"I love you," she whispered as a single tear trailed down her cheek. She spoke the words as if saying them would cause Zetsuei to suddenly confess that he had similar feelings for her. "You have to be lying…I won't believe that you don't care because I know you do."

And with that, she left the room.

Just seconds after she had gone, Zetsuei's restraint had snapped. Fury, pain, regret. All the emotions assaulted him at once. He was furious at himself for lying, for being so cold, so cruel. He was in pain because the crushed look on Tsukimisou's face was too much to bear, because lying to her rather than telling the truth—telling her that he loved her too—was unbearable, it went against his personal ethics and lying to Tsukimisou was unforgivable. And he was regretful in the truest sense of the word because causing Tsukimisou, a being so pure, so innocent, and sweet as she, such unnecessary pain should be a punishable offense. He didn't deserve to love her. Not at all. Not when he'd caused her so much hurt.

In his anguish, Zetsuei fled from the bedroom and into the wood where he went to let the pain swallow him whole.

-

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the palace, Kyoriko had made it to the West. She had run through the night and most of the morning, but at long last, she had reached her destination. She was exhausted. She had been running so long that it was difficult to breathe. Every breath caused a sharp pain in her sides. But Kyoriko knew she couldn't falter now. She had to make it to the West. She had to speak to Sesshoumaru, at all costs.

She approached the palace wall, searching for a way in. Ignoring the guards at the gate, she ran into the main courtyard, dodging guards and servants as she went.

_Sesshoumaru-sama. Sesshoumaru-sama. Where are you?_ She asked herself, pushing her senses to the limit, trying to pick up the scent of the taiyoukai.

The Nekoyoukai maid was frantic. Mizumi-sama was counting on her. She depended upon getting word of her situation through to Sesshoumaru-sama.

A familiar scent caught Kyoriko's nose. It was the very scent of the one she sought! Urging herself forward and clutching the stitch in her side, she sprinted with the last of her strength, dashing down the unfamiliar hallways, following her nose, reaching a set of doors. She could sense the taiyoukai's presence on the other side, ignoring that from the sound of it, Sesshoumaru was probably in a meeting.

Kyoriko slammed open the door, Sesshoumaru looking up at her in surprise.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! I bring urgent news from Mizumi-sama of the East!" she exclaimed, breathless and gasping for air. "Noboru has come to the Eastern palace and attacked. He is holding Mizumi-sama hostage. He plans to kill her! Mizumi-sama requests your immediate assistance! You must come now, before it is too late!"

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys! I got an update done sooner than expected. Of course, my novel had to experience a lack of work done on it, but oh well. I figured it'd do me good to get out an update before the end of Winter Quarter to prevent freakishly long delays. So I'm between midterms right now. My last one is tomorrow (February 11, 2009), and I should be studying, but because I love all of you so very much, I've decided to finish chapter twenty-four. XD Oh, and I can happily say that I've recovered from my strep throat so I'm all better. Except now I'm having allergy problems due to the freakishly cold random weather here. So that's been "fun." This chapter was a little shorter than normal, but the last two chapters have been 15-16 pages, so I think I can get away with not putting out my usual 11 page limit. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter—despite the angst-overkill and the longest game of rhetorical questions in the history of the universe. So review and stay tuned for chapter twenty-five! Ja ne until next time!


	25. Lust

**A/N:** Hello minna-san! I know the suspense over Mizumi's situation ought to be killing you all. So, here's the dramatic conclusion that you've all been waiting for! To do the disclaimer today, February 10, 2009, (the same night I've finished chapter 24) will be Sesshoumaru!

Sesshoumaru: Aki-san does not own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or any other such work that is not of her own creation. She owns her stories, her plot, and her characters. The following characters are not Aki-san's creation: Mizumi Ichitani, Kyoriko Ryoshima, Ikarisu Nintai, and Miseru Sen belong to Carrie, Aki-san's personal muse-slash-coauthor, and the character Zetsuei Ayasegawa belongs to A.J., or as he's known here, RenegadeAmish. Now, without any further delay, I humbly present chapter twenty-five.

(**_Secondary A/N: There is a bit of citrus-like content in the following chapter. In a previous version, it was a lemon, it has since been edited as of Jan 1, 2012. I personally, do not see the scene as too explicit, but I'm giving you the courtesy of a warning here at the beginning of the chapter anyway._**)

* * *

Chapter Twenty-five: Lust

The room was silent upon receiving the news. Kyoriko stood before Sesshoumaru and Hana, trying to catch her breath, desperation in her eyes.

"Please! I beg of you, Sesshoumaru-sama! Save Mizumi-sama!" The Nekoyoukai maid pleaded, dropping to her knees. "Don't let him kill her!"

Finally, Sesshoumaru spoke. "How long has it been since you fled from the East, under Mizumi's orders, I presume?"

Kyoriko looked up, a glimmer of hope dancing in her eyes before it was abruptly replaced with seriousness. "It's been six, maybe seven hours. Mizumi-sama instructed me to come here with all due haste and seek you out and request your aid. Under her orders, I am under your command." She replied quickly, urgency laced with hysteria clouding her tone.

"Sou ka," The taiyoukai said slowly, bringing a hand up to cradle his chin, a gesture suggesting that he was deep in thought.

"What shall we do, anata?" Hana asked, her voice filled with concern. "The East will be destroyed without Mizumi. Noboru will undoubtedly make things worse than when Masashi was in power."

Sesshoumaru nodded once, determination in his eyes. "Hai. We will not leave Mizumi vulnerable like this. We owe her a considerable debt for her assistance in the past battle at Nagashino as well as keeping us well-informed about her father's and Harukichi's plans," he paused briefly, collecting his thoughts. "We will assist Mizumi in whatever way we can."

Kyoriko's eyes filled with tears as she threw herself at Sesshoumaru's feet. "Arigatou gozaimashita, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she sobbed. "You have no idea what this means to me—to the people of the East! Thank you! Thank you so very much."

The taiyoukai sighed, glancing down at the maid. "Do not kneel to me. I am not your lord. Raise your head and stand. Mizumi will not be saved on your knees."

Kyoriko went stiff with shock and nodded, getting to her feet. "H-Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said thickly, scrubbing the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Hana," Sesshoumaru called. The miko-youkai looked up at once, staring at her mate. "Inform Shippou and Rin that they will regrettably, need to step in as regents yet again. We depart for the East immediately."

x0x0x0x

_KLANG!_

Mizumi ducked at the last second, her blade parrying against Noboru's just inches above her head. Wrenching her sword away, she lunged into a somersault, letting the momentum carry her across to the other side of the room. The Neko no Taisho got to her feet and leapt at the pseudo-Taisho from behind.

"Himori!" she cried, a barrage of thin, razor-sharp spears of ice surging out from the blade of her sword. (A/N: New attack name "Ice Lance." Yeah, lame, I know. I have no leet skills with Japanese attack names, unlike Dragon Man –sighs– Anyway, forgive the lameness.)

Noboru whirled around at the last second, slicing the icy lances in half before they could do any damage.

"You'll need to do _much_ better than that, girl!" The Torayoukai taunted.

A feral snarl tore its way between Mizumi's clenched teeth as she went into a low crouch, preparing to strike yet again. Her body became a blur as she rocketed forward, fangs bared, completely lethal. Mizumi's aura screamed death and slaughter—she was furious and consumed by an overwhelming desire to kill the man before her.

"Your killing intent tickles," Noboru goaded her, not at all affected by the undiluted hatred pouring off the Neko no Taisho in waves. "Is that really all you've got? Perhaps you should be instructed from a more learned ruler like myself," he paused a moment, grinning at Mizumi sinisterly. Noboru's eyes lost all traces of humor and smoldered with the lust for blood. His aura became pitch-dark and thick with the desire for one thing and only thing only: Mizumi's head rolling across the floor.

The youki was heavy on Mizumi's small frame and the intensity of it crippled her. She fell to her knees and struggled to stand. Noboru laughed at her weakness.

"_This_, Mizumi, is how it is done! _This_ is true killing intent!"

Snarling in both anger and frustration, Mizumi forced herself to her feet, pushing hard against the suffocating aura of death that tried to pull her down.

Now on her feet, Mizumi raised her sword at the pseudo-Taisho, her sapphire eyes glittering malevolently. Noboru smiled gleefully and beckoned her forward. Mizumi hissed angrily, tightening her grip on the sword hilt and readying her stance. Noboru's reign of terror would end here and now. Mizumi was going to kill him; she would make that bastard pay for his misdeeds.

'_Time for round two…_'

And then, she charged.

x0x0x0x

Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Kyoriko raced out the eastern gate of the palace, determined to reach their destination. They had to make it to the East. Mizumi was counting on them. She had asked for help and no one was about to let her down. Not Sesshoumaru, who ran forward to keep his promise to an ally; not Hana, who pressed on towards their goal to give aid to a friend in need; and not Kyoriko, who sprinted with everything she had to uphold the oath of loyalty she had sworn to her lady and her vow to save her from this dismal fate.

Their three minds were working in a near-complete harmony with one another. Together, as they ran, they made a silent promise, their reasons to fulfill this promise overlapping with one another.

'_I'm not losing you!_'

'_You don't deserve to die like this!_'

'_Mizumi, you are going to live!_'

And then their thoughts joined as one as each hardened their resolve.

'_We are going to save you!_'

x0x0x0x

After some time, Tsukimisou returned to her room, surprised to find herself alone once inside. Zetsuei was gone. There was hollowness in Tsukimisou's chest. With the hollowness, came pain, excruciating pain, the pain of loneliness.

This room, which was one a place of love and happiness, had become desolate and empty. Her room so easily mirrored the feelings she harbored deep within her heart. With Zetsuei gone, all the light and life that had brightened her room before had vanished.

Zetsuei's departure had taken away many things. Happiness, warmth, love, all these things were gone from this place. But most importantly, Tsukimisou's heart was gone. Zetsuei had taken it with him.

Tears brimmed in her amber-gold eyes, her features awash in misery. In her agony, she flung herself onto her futon, not yet put away, and buried her face deep into the quilts as if hoping burying herself deep enough would suffocate her and thus alleviate her pain. She sobbed piteously into the mattress as the tears spilled over, occasionally crying out in anguish as waves of pain and loneliness wracked through her body.

'_Why did he have to leave? Where did he go? Why did he leave me alone like this?_' She asked herself over and over again. '_Why couldn't he have stayed? Why did he have to go?_'

So many whys, so many questions, yet there were no answers.

'_Why does it hurt so much? Is this what it feels like? A broken heart?_' she wondered, wrapping her arms tightly around her body, hoping to offer herself some comfort. But it did no good. Her arms were not the arms she wished to feel embracing her. She wanted _his_ arms to hold her, to have his fingers twine themselves with her own, to have him stroke her hair…to have his lips against hers.

In her pain, Tsukimisou drifted far away from the confines of her room. She had found a world where she and Zetsuei could be together always. In this imaginary place, Zetsuei was lying at her side, holding her close. In this place, Tsukimisou was happy. She turned and kissed her Zetsuei and moved deeper into his warm embrace, smiling contentedly.

But the dream was short-lived and Tsukimisou came back to reality, struggling to hold onto the beautiful illusion she had seen. Coming back into her agony from such a happy place was like a knife being plunged into her already-bleeding heart. Curling into a ball, shuddering as a fresh wave of tears came on, she cried herself to sleep and was lost to the peace that oblivion granted her.

"Zetsuei…kun…"

x0x0x0x

"Keep going! Mizumi may not have much time left!" Hana called over her shoulder at Kyoriko who in her exhausted state, was struggling to keep up.

Sesshoumaru glanced back at the maid and his mate, picking them both up and encasing them into a speeding orb of white light. The three of them zipped through the forest and were moving so fast that trees shuddered in the wake of their passing, some small animals and youkai falling out of said trees as a result.

Within minutes, the palace of the East was just visible on the horizon. At this distance, Sesshoumaru could see smoke rising from behind the palace gates and the orange glow of fiery embers. He increased his pace and came up to the palace wall a second later, leaping over the obstruction and onto the palace grounds.

Nekoyoukai guards shouted in alarm at their arrival, but were too slow to follow after the taiyoukai.

"Where is Mizumi?" Sesshoumaru asked urgently.

"She should be in her office," Kyoriko answered. "Southeast corner—that way!" she pointed.

They moved in the indicated direction and barreled past the surprised guards in their path. Mizumi was close; her youki and her scent were nearby, looming closer as they approached. Sesshoumaru drew his sword and disengaged the speeding orb, setting down Kyoriko and his wife. They ran forward to the wall separating them from Mizumi and Noboru and charged in.

"Let's go."

x0x0x0x

"Agghhhhh!" Mizumi screamed in pain. She dropped her sword to apply pressure to the large gash in her upper arm. Blood streamed down the now-useless limb, painting it crimson.

"Do you surrender, Mizumi?" Noboru demanded, his face looming eerily before hers.

The Neko no Taisho scowled and spat in his face. "Screw you. I'd rather _die_ than surrender to the likes of _you_!"

Noboru growled and wiped the spit from his cheek, backhanding Mizumi across the face. He calmed himself and smiled devilishly.

"So, you're stubborn, I see," he paused. "I'll give you a chance to save yourself. Sign a declaration of war against the Inu clan; join me, and your life will be spared. All I ask…is for your allegiance."

The pseudo-Taisho reached into the collar of his robes and withdrew a scroll and unraveled it, giving Mizumi a chance to read it.

"Now, _sign it_."

Mizumi glared at him. "I refuse."

"Sign it before I _make_ you sign it."

"Go right ahead, you prick."

Noboru slammed Mizumi's face into a wall and grabbed her from behind, twisting an arm behind her back and pressing a sword into the base of her neck. He laid the scroll out on the Neko no Taisho's desk and forced an ink brush into her free hand.

"_Now_…sign, or die."

"Go fuck yourself."

Noboru laughed with amusement. "Is this what you've got left, Mizumi? I've cornered you and all you have to show in your defense is to spit fire and deliver tongue-lashings? How pathetic."

"At least I'm not a fraud."

The pseudo-Taisho smirked, a new plan forming. "While that may be so, Mizumi, at least _I_ am not afraid to die."

"Go ahead and kill me, see what happens. I'll come back and kick your ass into the next millennia." Mizumi challenged.

"No, I've got something better," Noboru replied, shaking his head. "You _will_ sign, I'm sure of it."

"And what makes you so confident? You can't make me do a damn thing."

"Or can I?" He smirked again, the malice in his expression causing the Neko no Taisho to shudder. "What about Tsurugi, hm? How about if I kill him in front of you if you don't sign?"

"You wouldn't _dare_."

"Oh, but I would. You know that. You know _exactly_ what I'm capable of. Just look at what I did to my own brother and nephew. I am quite capable of killing. And rest assured, Mizumi, I will kill every person precious to your heart, starting with that boy," he paused, tightening his grip on the Nekoyoukai girl's snared arm. "Now, sign it."

Mizumi gritted her teeth against the pain and slowly raised her writing hand, grasping the brush firmly between her fingers. With great difficulty, she began to write the first character of her last name.

'_Why am I doing this?_' she questioned herself. '_Why have I already given up? Why won't I fight back?_'

But Mizumi knew the answers already. She had no more options left. Noboru had won and he had found her weakness: the one person she had kept close to her own heart. She'd thought her feelings were hidden, but they were plain to see, after all. Mizumi sighed. Nothing mattered more than Tsurugi's life. The West needed to survive. As long as a few good people remained, the continent could be saved. There was hope yet, for the rest of Japan.

And so, she signed. (A/N: I'm pretty sure the kanji below—if it actually displays—is incorrect. I was looking this up by its root words: "ichi", "tani", "mizu", and "mi".)

一沢水剣.

Noboru laughed again, sounding delighted. "I knew you'd sign. I told you that you would, did I not?"

Mizumi growled low in her throat. "I hope you die a slow and painful death, you bastard."

The pseudo-Taisho grinned and released Mizumi's arm. "Good. Now I don't need to kill you. We're allies now,"

"I am _not_ your ally,"

"According to this," Noboru said, gesturing at the signed scroll. "You are," he paused before picking it up to read it. "'_By signing this, all signers hereby declare total war against the Inuyoukai clan of the West and her allies. Signers of this declaration are henceforth in a battle alliance and this contract shall not be terminated until the purpose of the war has been fulfilled either through victory or defeat. The parties declaring war shall sign their official request to call to arms below: I, Ichitani Mizumi, Neko no Taisho of the East hereby declare war and hostilities against the enemy clan of the West, the Inuyoukai and sons of the Inu no Taisho and their allies of the North, the Ryuuyoukai of the Spirits, and of the Western Coast, the Yamainu, and of the South, the Kitsune youkai,_'" he paused again. "You've signed it, and thus, you are no longer my enemy. But by signing it, you've just sealed Tsurugi's fate. Now he's sure to die!"

"NO! You bastard!" Mizumi lunged at the pseudo-Taisho, picking up her katana and pressing the sharp edge of the blade at his throat. "I should cut off your head," she began in bitter rage. "But I should leave it to your nephew, when he supplants you and reveals you as the fraud you truly are. I'll make a personal request to watch your execution, traitor."

"You're far too overconfident, Mizumi! Do you honestly think you're capable of killing me?"

In a swift motion, Noboru threw Mizumi off and the tables turned yet again. Now Noboru had Mizumi cornered and facing death at the edge of her own sword.

"Forget our allegiance. I can see where your heart truly lies! You would betray me in the end anyway," he said in a low growl. Then Noboru raised the sword and prepared to deliver the finishing blow. "Goodbye, Mizumi of the East, the last leader of the Neko clan."

_CRASH!_

The far wall exploded and crumbled to bits, shooting a cloud of dust and debris at Noboru and Mizumi. When the dust settled, Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Kyoriko emerged through the newly-created opening.

"Release Mizumi-sama this instant!" Kyoriko shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at the pseudo-Taisho.

"You have committed a great crime, Noboru," Sesshoumaru began. "Attempted murder of a clan leader is punishable by death."

Noboru scowled, driving a fist into Mizumi's stomach in rage. "You called for help? You insolent little bitch!"

Now it was Mizumi's turn to laugh. "What took you so long, Sesshoumaru? Did you get lost on the way?"

The taiyoukai's lips twitched into a slight smile. "No, not at all. We had a bit of a problem with your guards. They seemed adamant on deterring us."

"I see," the Neko no Taisho responded. "Now if you don't mind, _Noboru_, get the fuck off me!" Mizumi pushed her sword away from her chest with her hand and delivered a swift kick to the pseudo-Taisho in an area quite sensitive to pain for males and was promptly released. She fell to the floor and staggered away from the Torayoukai, kicking him once more before retreating to a safer area of the room. "He's all yours, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru approached the now-groaning Torayoukai—who was still nursing himself from the double assault against the body parts that declared he was indeed a man—and circled around his prey much like a vulture does before going in for the kill. Noboru was quick to recover and lunged for the taiyoukai, who immediately dodged.

But Noboru wasn't aiming to attack. Instead, he fled out the newly-created exit of the destroyed wall and ran at full speed until he was out of sight.

"Coward," Mizumi said spitefully after his retreating form.

"Shall I pursue him?" Sesshoumaru questioned.

"Iie. You only have jurisdiction here, in the Neko clan lands. If you enter Torayoukai boundaries, you won't have any immunity against them whatsoever," Mizumi replied. "Noboru will be back. He plans to destroy you and your family," she moved to pick up the scroll and promptly shredded it, tossing the remains into the fire burning in the brazier that sat in a relatively undamaged section of the room. "We need to be ready for his next move. Noboru is ruthless; who knows what he'll try next time?"

"First things first though, Mizumi-san," Hana began. "I need to treat you."

Mizumi laughed nervously. "Oh, right. That would probably help…"

x0x0x0x

Noboru returned to the Torayoukai lands and stewed angrily at the recent turn of events. How was he going to take down the Inu clan? He wondered. How would he ensure his position of Taisho? How would he keep his nephew from finding out the truth?

The pseudo-Taisho knew his time was short. It wouldn't be long before he was revealed as a deceiver. But what to do? He asked himself.

Then, all too easily, the answer became clear: he'd simply kill his nephew, thus legally securing his position as the last remaining member of the family with noble blood, and ensuring his right to do battle against the West.

It was too easy, child's play.

"Masahiro," Noboru called.

The one called Masahiro entered the room. "Hai, Noboru-sama?" he asked, going into a full bow.

"You are my closest aide and general. I have orders for you,"

"What orders, sir?"

"Go into the village and spread the word that all Torayoukai youth aged seventeen to nineteen shall be brought to the palace and executed,"

"Sir?" Masahiro questioned. "I don't understand. Why are you ordering this?"

"We're going to weed out any of the Torayoukai that could be the rightful heir to my throne. I can't have anyone deposing me as ruler."

"Why would you wish to kill your successor?"

"Because he wishes to kill me instead. We cannot have a future murderer on the throne, now can we? I wish to nip the problem in the bud, while I still have a chance to do something about it."

"Wakarimasu, Noboru-sama. It will be done."

"Spread the word across the continent. The brat may be hiding outside our lands. We must find him, wherever he is."

"Hai!"

Masahiro disappeared at once.

Soon, all of Noboru's dreams would come true. The first part of the plan had just been set into motion. All Noboru needed to do was sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

x0x0x0x

Word spread like wildfire and the Torayoukai lands were in total chaos. Young Torayoukai boys and men were being snatched off the village streets and taken prisoner without explanation. Mothers and fathers were crying out in outrage and injustice. Torayoukai guards rounded up the youths and herded them into the palace while other guards swept the perimeter of the surrounding lands, going province by province, returning with more boys to be detained.

It was not long before word reached Zetsuei. Not only did he fall within the parameters of Torayoukai boys to be captured and killed, but he had information regarding the true heir's identity and he knew that the heir would be in serious jeopardy. The true Tora clan heir couldn't afford to be captured. Zetsuei knew what he needed to do. He needed to go back to the West and open the scroll and bring the heir to safety, far from Noboru's reach.

With all due haste, he ran back towards the West, towards Tsukimisou, towards the future.

x0x0x0x

Night fell dark upon the land, and soon the Neko clan territory found itself flooded with distraught Torayoukai whose sons had been taken away. The angry Tora clan members demanded justice and sought Mizumi's aid to pass judgment against Noboru.

"We want justice!" They chanted in the streets.

Soon they all converged outside the palace gate entreating Mizumi to come out. After some time, the Neko no Taisho emerged, one arm bandaged and the other in a sling, and called the crowd to order.

"For what reason have all of you come so distressed to converge upon my palace walls?" she asked.

"Our lord has done us a great injustice—he's taken our sons!" A woman cried.

"Your sons?" Mizumi questioned.

"Hai! All of our young men, from seventeen to nineteen years of age! Noboru-sama has ordered all Torayoukai males within that age range to be captured and imprisoned in the palace," A man answered.

"They all face the death sentence!" Another woman added. "Noboru-sama plans on executing our boys!"

"Please Mizumi-sama, we beg of you, save our sons!"

The Neko no Taisho's features hardened. She now knew Noboru's next move. Noboru was going for the heir. He was trying to lure him out so that he could kill him. Mizumi growled in anger, finding that her shoulders shook with rage.

"I will get your sons back to all of you. That's a promise! If you wish to stay here until the situation is resolved, please, I welcome you into my honored house. If not, you may return home or go wherever you like."

A chorus of thank you's and blessings rang out through the crowd as the wronged Tora clan members expressed their gratitude to the young Lady of the East.

Mizumi quickly retreated to the confines of her palace and opened the gates to allow entry for the Torayoukai wishing to stay before heading to her study, still in the process of being repaired and called on Sesshoumaru and Hana for counsel.

When the three of them had gathered in a private room, Mizumi opened the meeting with the current matter at hand.

"We've got a _serious_ problem here," The Neko no Taisho began.

x0x0x0x

Tsukimisou sat alone in her room, reading in absolute silence. The atmosphere in the West was somber—her father and mother had run off suddenly during the morning hours to render immediate aid to the East; Zetsuei had disappeared after denying that he had any feelings beyond friendship for her.

Yet, after she had cried, after she had felt the embrace of loneliness and the blackness of unconsciousness, Tsukimisou had managed to pull herself together. She had taken time to think and through her thought processes, she realized something—Zetsuei was lying. He had to have been. She knew him; he could never look her in the eye whenever he said things that weren't true. And when he had said those painful parting words, Zetsuei's eyes were averted to the wall. It was a lie; Tsukimisou almost believed it to be the truth.

Hope sparked deep within her chest and she wished desperately that Zetsuei was lying, that he would come back to her and apologize for being so stupid, for being so concerned with propriety, and simply confess his true feelings. Tsukimisou wished for Zetsuei to return and ask her to be his. She knew she would give herself to him without question.

And as if fate or Kami-sama, or some higher force had been listening to her silent pleas, Zetsuei's steadily approaching presence lingered at the edges of Tsukimisou's senses.

Her courtyard door slid open, the gossamer curtains blowing in the evening wind. And through the door, Zetsuei appeared, sinking to his knees as a gesture of respect.

"Tsukimisou-sama," he greeted.

The Taisho heiress tried not to wince at the degree of formality Zetsuei used when he said her name. "Hai?" she asked softly.

"Something terrible has happened. The heir is in danger. I must find him and protect him. This is a matter of grave importance."

"What's going on?"

"Noboru has given an order to kill all Torayoukai boys of similar age range as the heir."

"Age range?"

"Seventeen to nineteen years,"

Tsukimisou paled. "But that includes you too!" she protested.

"I know, but my life is of little importance. The true heir cannot be led like a lamb to the slaughter! I need the scroll, Tsukimisou-sama."

"The scroll? You just need his name? And then what will you do?"

"I'll find the heir and bring him here; at least he'll be safe here. He'll be out of Noboru's reach."

Tsukimisou nodded slowly. She set the book she had been reading aside and walked over to her dressing cabinet and produced a small bloodstained silk scroll. It still remained sealed.

"Here," she said, handing it to the Torayoukai scout. "Open it and do what you must."

Zetsuei took it, fingers trembling with anticipation. Slowly, he slipped a finger under the scroll's edge and broke the seal. He started to unravel it, only to stop in mid-motion.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this," he murmured. "Tsukimisou-sama, could you…?"

The Taisho heiress nodded and took the partially unraveled scroll and unfurled the rest of it, and began to read.

"_Your father's death was no accident. Your uncle planned it from the start. This humbled scribe tried to protect your honored father, but was defeated and mortally wounded as a result. Your uncle is ruthless and cunning and cares not for the lives of others, including those of his own blood. By the time you read this, you will be of age and know of your uncle's misdeeds. The time has come then, for you to take your rightful place. Take up your honored father's mantle, supplant your uncle, and remove him from his position of power. Take back the name of Taisho, for you, Ayasegawa Zetsuei, are the rightful honored ruler of your people—_"

Tsukimisou broke off suddenly, staring at the scroll with wide eyes. Zetsuei stared too, his expression was equally stunned.

"Repeat that last?" he said slowly.

"Zetsuei-kun…it's you. You're the Tora no Taisho. Noboru is your uncle," Tsukimisou whispered.

"W-What?"

"You're the heir. I'll read it again: '_Take back the name of Taisho, for you, Ayasegawa Zetsuei, are the rightful honored ruler of your people. May you have a long and fruitful reign over the East and do your honored father proud, Zetsuei._'"

Zetsuei was shocked. Him? _Him_? He was the heir? He was the Tora no Taisho? He, who had absolutely no social status whatsoever, was actually of noble birth? The Torayoukai scout was overwhelmed with a chaotic flood of emotions.

Rage at what Noboru had done to him; for lying to him about his past, for keeping the truth of his identity secret. Empowered at what he could now achieve, what he could do to save the East and root out the seeds of discord that had sprouted within the province. Vengeful for desiring to make Noboru pay for his crimes, to supplant him and take his rightful place. But most of all, he felt…relieved. Zetsuei no longer had to lie to the woman he loved. He could tell her the truth and not worry about propriety or nobility and ranking.

"So it's me, then?" he asked.

Tsukimisou nodded. "Hai, it's you."

"That's all I needed to hear,"

And then, for the first time, Zetsuei let desire control him and he leaned in and kissed the Taisho heiress. Tsukimisou was surprised, but quickly kissed him back, throwing her arms around him. There was longing in their kiss—oh how long they'd waited for this moment! Their lips found one another's again and again, unwilling to be parted.

But at long last, they broke away for air. Tsukimisou, breathless regarded Zetsuei with an impish grin.

"I thought you didn't love me," she said, still grinning.

"I lied." Zetsuei replied, unable to help but grin back before moving in to kiss the Inuyoukai girl again.

They parted for a second time, gazing into one another's eyes, amber-gold meeting a lush, depthless magenta. They stared at one another in silence, afraid to break the connection, afraid that by doing so would take this moment—_their_ moment—away from them. At long last, Zetsuei averted his eyes, looking to Tsukimisou's hand, resting inches away from his own. Gently, he twined his fingers with hers, and met her unwavering gaze once more.

"I should have told you from the moment I met you," he murmured. "I love you. I always have, and I always will."

Tsukimisou felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I always knew you loved me," she whispered.

"You changed me in a way no other has been able to achieve. Tsukimisou, you taught me how to _feel_. You gave me back my humanity. Before all this, I felt no need to exist for anything more than being a tool, a loyal servant to be used at my lord's will. You showed me there was more to life than that; that there was something for me worth doing, worth living for. You gave me purpose, you gave me companionship, and you gave me comfort. You gave me all the things I never knew I was missing, all the things I ever wanted.

"But then, as I began to feel again, I started to realize my feelings weren't at the respectable level that they should have been. I yearned for you. I began to feel and want things that I knew I shouldn't. I have never felt frightened before, not until that moment. I was afraid of how you would react if you discovered my affections for you, of the potentiality of disaster should my feelings be allowed to continue, and the inevitable rejection either I or you would have to face as a result.

"I hadn't considered it possible that you would want me. And yet, when you told me you loved me, the sheer joy those words brought me was near impossible to contain. But I knew then that I had to end it. The one thing I wanted most, I could not have,"

Zetsuei paused, at last, seemingly to collect his thoughts before continuing. Tsukimisou waited patiently, listening in silence.

"But things are different now," he began again. "This," he gestured at the scroll still in Tsukimisou's other hand. "This changes everything. For once in my life, I can have no regrets. I can have what I want…if you'll let me?"

As if in answer to his question, Tsukimisou took his hand, still entwined with her own, and led it to her back where the tight knot of her obi rested. Casting aside the scroll in her free hand, she reached for Zetsuei's other hand and led it to the same spot on her back and with great care, helped unravel the knot and pull the wide sash away and cast it aside, the silk floating to rest in the corner.

With nothing to hold it closed, the front of her kimono loosened, exposing a couple inches of the bare flesh of her chest and stomach. The rest of it threatened to fall open, the fabric fluttering with each breath, only staying secured by the silk that lay covering the gentle swell of her breasts.

She released his hands, letting her own cup his face and she stared determinedly into his eyes. "Take me," she said. "I'm yours." It was both a promise and a request. Zetsuei was only too happy to oblige. He descended upon her mouth and claimed her lips with his own for a third time. There was a certain note of urgency in his kiss, of want, of need. Tsukimisou kissed him back, the fierceness in it matching Zetsuei's own.

And almost in repetition of their previous actions, Zetsuei took Tsukimisou's hands into his own, guiding her as they pulled the knots of his haori and hakama free. She pushed the haori from his shoulders; he shrugged his arms out of the sleeves easily. The Inuyoukai girl's eyes were immediately drawn to the bare skin of his chest. She had seen it before many times, but never like this. All those other times, Zetsuei had been wounded; his beauty was marred by angry red slashes. But now, the skin was flawless, perfect. It was as if Noboru's attempt on his life had never happened.

Her fingertips traced the line of his jaw, trailing down his neck and pausing for just a moment at the spot where the neck and collarbone joined—the spot where soon, Tsukimisou knew, she would be placing her mark upon him, thus laying claim to Zetsuei, _her_ Zetsuei. The Torayoukai responded instantly to her lingering touch, a pleasant involuntary shudder racing up and down his spine. Tsukimisou grinned and continued her ministrations, letting her hands travel lower, making fiery paths over his pectorals and down the flat planes of his stomach and abs.

A low growl rumbled in Zetsuei's throat in response to the feeling of the Inuyoukai girl's hands roaming across his body. He stilled her hands and wrapped his arms around her and gently lowered her to lie against the floor, a blazing look in his depthless magenta eyes.

Ever so slowly, he slipped off the Inuyoukai girl's loosened kimono from her shoulders, exposing her to him, the heavy fabric falling to the floor resembling a pair of butterfly wings. Zetsuei withheld a gasp as his eyes roved over Tsukimisou's body.

"What?" she asked innocently, looking shyly up at him from beneath the fringe of her eyelashes.

"You're beautiful," he murmured.

"So are you,"

She let a hand trail down the muscular expanse of his chest, smiling slightly as she felt him quivering under her fingertips.

Zetsuei purred in contentment, letting his hands roam freely over her body in a gentle caress. Tentatively, he palmed her breast and squeezed lightly. Slowly, he planted kisses down Tsukimisou's neck, coming to a stop just above her left breast, close to her heart, letting his lips linger there. In a matter of moments, he would be placing his mark there, claiming her as his forever. Zetsuei smiled against her skin, feeling Tsukimisou trembling beneath him.

It felt so strange to be touching her, loving her like this. It was nothing like Zetsuei had ever experienced before; to be free, without limitations or restriction, it hardly seemed real. He could love her, all of her, with no regrets.

Tsukimisou moved to tilt his head upward, pressing her lips against his, and continued her exploration of his body, running her fingers slowly over the smooth skin. Zetsuei grinned against her mouth, a low growl of contentment rumbling in his throat. The Inuyoukai girl smiled, still kissing him, and let her hands travel lower, reaching the desired spot. The Torayoukai gave a sharp intake of breath at the feel of the girl's fingertips against him. Tsukimisou moved to pull away, stopped short by Zetsuei's warning growl as he moved himself closer to her hand. The Taisho girl laughed lightly and continued to stroke him, every once in a while, feeling the Torayoukai's hips jerk against her in response to her ministrations.

It was too much. Zetsuei couldn't take a minute more of this torment. He needed her; he needed to feel her and have her in his arms to claim as his own. With a growl, he broke off their kiss and pulled Tsukimisou's hand away.

Nuzzling her neck, he murmured, "I need you," against her skin.

Tsukimisou nodded. "Me too," she gasped.

Zetsuei wasted no time after that. He positioned himself atop her, lining up his hips with hers. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yes."

Then he started to push forward, entering her ever so slowly. She felt so good—it took all the restraint Zetsuei had to resist pounding into her; the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

Tsukimisou noticed the strain and felt the tension in his body, feeling concerned. She knew it would hurt the first time. Reika had mentioned it once, many years ago. The Taisho heiress gently cupped Zetsuei's face in her hands, meeting his eyes which were full of uncertain reluctance.

"I can handle it," she said reassuringly. "It's okay. I want this, I want _you_."

Slowly, he nodded. "If it hurts too much, tell me, and I'll stop."

She nodded, feeling Zetsuei pushing forward more. Then, she felt it. It was a sharp lancing pain; she winced slightly and felt Zetsuei hesitate.

"Don't stop," she whispered.

The Torayoukai complied with her request and gradually increased his pace until they both found a good rhythm, moving together in perfect harmony. Tsukimisou started to moan, reveling in the feeling of Zetsuei moving inside her. It felt so good—she felt whole, complete, with him here, making love to her.

Zetsuei could feel his own release fast approaching. He would have to place his mark on Tsukimisou soon; before they both reached their peaks. He could sense that Tsukimisou was getting close—her moans had risen in volume and she had her lips pressed against the hollow formed in the spot where the Torayoukai's neck and collarbone joined, ready to place her own mark on him at a moment's notice.

Suddenly, Tsukimisou reached out to tilt Zetsuei's head to the side, tangling her fingers in his long, dark green hair and she bit down against the skin she'd had her lips and placed her mark. Zetsuei growled, kissing a line down from her jaw to the base of her throat, letting his lips trail to her left breast, stopping close to her heart, biting down lightly, placing his own mark in turn.

Then, Zetsuei could feel a tingling sensation running up and down his spine, pressure pooling in his groin. He was on the verge of release, but Tsukimisou got there first, watching as an expression of total bliss crossed her face. Her pleasure became his pleasure—he could feel her through their mark; everything that Tsukimisou felt, Zetsuei could feel as well. He'd never felt closer to her than he did at that moment. His muscles contracted and he was overwhelmed with the feeling of his own release. But Tsukimisou could feel his pleasure, doubled with her own throes of ecstasy.

The sensations tripled and quadrupled as they felt one another through the mark, experiencing the other's pleasure as their own, every emotion, every feeling that the other felt became their own. Their bodies writhed and twisted as they were lost in the throes of their shared sexual bliss, the pleasure so intense it brought them to release again and again.

They were now connected so intricately, in body, heart, and soul. They were each a part of the other; they would never be whole again without the other. From this point forward, they would be able to feel everything that their beloved did, know when something was wrong immediately—if they were hurt, in pain, or scared—or sense danger approaching their precious one. Should they ever be separated and get lost, they would always be able to find one another again through the connection they now shared. This was the union—the bond forged between mates. A bond so sacred and intimate, that should never be defiled. To sever this bond would mean the death of the other; their lives were now joined together forever.

They lay together on the floor, embracing, entwining their bodies together as closely as they had just entwined their souls. They gazed lovingly in one another's eyes, awaiting the coming dawn.

x0x0x0x

Meanwhile, Tsurugi was on guard duty. He was circling the perimeter of the palace, which was normal. He reached the courtyard that bordered his sister's room, only to see a dark shape zip past him and enter Tsukimisou's room through her courtyard door, leaving it open. That was _not_ normal. The Taisho heir moved in closer to investigate, and saw that the dark shape he had seen was Zetsuei. The Torayoukai and Tsukimisou seemed to be discussing something of grave importance. Curious, the Inuyoukai boy inched closer, just within hearing range.

"What's going on?" He heard his sister ask.

"Noboru has given an order to kill all Torayoukai boys of similar age range as the heir," was Zetsuei's reply.

'_The fake Taisho is trying to murder the rightful heir to the Tora clan?_' Tsurugi thought in outrage. '_That's high treason! AGAIN! Noboru needs to be executed—two times over._'

The Taisho heir continued to listen, intrigued. Apparently, Noboru's kill order had encompassed a wide range of the male Torayoukai youth, Zetsuei included. Naturally, Tsukimisou had expressed her distress over this new tidbit of information. Tsurugi sighed.

'_Of course she'd worry about him. She's completely in love with him._' He mused, letting his attention return to the conversation taking place.

"I know, but my life is of little importance. The true heir cannot be led like a lamb to the slaughter! I need the scroll, Tsukimisou-sama." He heard Zetsuei say, casting aside Tsukimisou's worries.

'_Scroll? What scroll?_'

"The scroll? You just need his name? And then what will you do?"

"I'll find the heir and bring him here; at least he'll be safe here. He'll be out of Noboru's reach."

'_Provided the heir's still alive, you mean, right Zetsuei?_'

Tsurugi watched as his sister moved to retrieve the scroll in question and handed it to the Torayoukai scout. Zetsuei broke the seal but couldn't unroll it. He asked Tsukimisou to open it and read it instead. She took it and began to read it aloud.

"…_Take back the name of Taisho, for you, Ayasegawa Zetsuei, are the rightful honored ruler of your people—_"

"WHAT?" Tsurugi gaped, mouthing the word in shock.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one that was surprised. Tsukimisou had to reread that part of the scroll for Zetsuei. When she did, he was smiling. Tsurugi raised an eyebrow with interest and watched as the Torayoukai leaned in to kiss his sister.

'_About damn time!_'

He kept watching; Zetsuei was speaking at length about not being able to have the one thing he wanted the most because of a lack of status. When he had finished speaking, Tsurugi felt his eyes widen as he saw his sister take Zetsuei's hands and undo the knot of her obi and toss it aside. Then the Taisho heir felt his jaw drop in shock as he watched as Zetsuei took Tsukimisou's hands to undo the knots of his haori and hakama.

'_They're not going to do what I think they're about to do, are they?_' Tsurugi asked himself, bewildered.

Zetsuei had taken Tsukimisou's kimono off.

'_THEY ARE!_'

Tsurugi flushed beet red and quickly averted his eyes, but wasn't quick enough. He'd just seen his sister naked.

Then came the sounds. The Taisho heir could hear his sister moaning and risked a quick glance and almost immediately looked away again. He shouldn't be watching this; he shouldn't be here. They deserved their privacy. But yet, Tsurugi couldn't make himself move. Besides, if he did, his sister and Zetsuei might hear him—although he highly doubted that possibility, seeing as both of them had appeared thoroughly distracted.

He continued to listen to his sister's moans, finding himself wishing that those moans belonged to someone else. He longed to be in Zetsuei's place, and in his sister's place, the one woman he'd ever yearned for—Mizumi. He wanted to be the one to love her, kiss her, and touch her. He wanted to be the one to make her cry out in pleasure and scream his name.

'_Oh. My. God._'

The images now filling Tsurugi's head were far from appropriate. Various scenes of him ravaging the Nekoyoukai ran rampant in his mind, causing unexpected physical responses to arise within the Taisho heir's own body.

His hakama felt a little tighter than usual. He looked down.

'_OH MY GOD!_'

Tsurugi frantically regarded his surroundings. He had to get these damned images out of his head. The east side of the wall bordering the castle was near. He bolted for it.

"Must stop thinking inappropriate things, must stop thinking inappropriate things," he started chanting to himself, as if hoping to say the words would will the images away.

Instead, he made his mental images worse. Mizumi bent over as he took her from behind, Mizumi pinned against the wall in his bedroom as he took her there, Mizumi in the hot spring, Mizumi tangled deliciously between the silken bedding of his futon, Mizumi moaning and asking him to take her harder, faster—the images kept coming and kept getting worse. His hakama was getting tighter.

"AGHHH!" Tsurugi growled, frustrated. He slammed his forehead against the wall.

The sharp pain in his skull made the images stop momentarily, starting again once the shock of the blow subsided. He slammed his head into the wall again, repeatedly, hoping to use physical pain to drive the images out.

"Stop," _SLAM!_ "Thinking," _SLAM!_ "Impure," _SLAM!_ "Thoughts!" _SLAM!_ He scolded himself, between head-slams.

Tsurugi continued banging his head against the wall, finally stopping once he was no longer threatening to burst out of his pants. He had a pounding headache, but he didn't care. The pain was well worth it.

"Lust," he murmured. "It's going to be the death of me."

* * *

**A/N:** Can I just say how very, very, very, very, very, very, VERY sorry I am for taking this long with an update? For obvious reasons (cough) lemon (cough) I took a very long time to finish this chapter. I'm a very shy individual and I normally don't write things in such detail nor do I normally write things of that subject matter. But it is _not_ my first time writing such a scene. I've actually written three. The first was for a fanfic that I've dropped, the second was actually Mizumi and Tsurugi—unrelated to the plot—and the third was an early draft of the scene in this chapter. (Note: Both the second and third scenes were written TWO YEARS AGO. So yeah, this scene wasn't a spontaneous desire for fan service. It's been planned for _quite_ a while.) Anyway, I just wanted to get out at least ONE update before I started my second year of college, which by the way, is this Thursday (Sept. 24) the day after my birthday (Sept. 23) YAY! Not. Again, I'm very, very sorry this took over seven months. I'll do my best to not let it happen again, but I can make no guarantees. I predict I'll be quite busy in the coming months in school. I'm trying to get into medical school and I need to load up on the pre-med classes required to even qualify for med school. Plus, over the summer, I decided to rewrite my novel, and I've been working on it intermittently. But anyway, I hope I've made up for the insane delay. This chapter is the longest this fic has ever had (It's 18 pages in case you're wondering). Review, bitch, complain, yell at me, or whatever. Thanks.

*EDIT: 1/2/2012 – In compliance with 's no MA content policy, I have removed the more explicit portions of the chapter and have done minor rewrites that both preserve the original content but make the chapter adhere to the rating policy. I feel that what I have now presented in the above chapter is not too explicit, but still quite adult in nature. If you, the reader, feel that the scenes in question are still too graphic, please do not hesitate to let me know and I will take measures to amend this. I wish to be in compliance with the rules here on and I have no desire to have my membership to this site either suspended or revoked as I am fond of this community and the people I've managed to meet since joining it.* (I apologize for any inconsistency in the aforementioned scene. I didn't do a complete rewrite, just a partial one. So much is the same, some is different)


	26. The Precipice of War

**A/N:** So now we're back! From outer space! Okay, sorry. I'm not going to burst out into song spontaneously. I don't even know the lyrics to that particular song hehe. Anyway, I'm gonna make this short. To read today's disclaimer, I choose uh…Tsukimisou!

Tsuki: Aki-chan doesn't own Inuyasha, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, or whatever else she's alluded to or made references to within the course of this story. She only owns her plot, her characters, and her stories. Mizumi and her maids belong to Carrie, and Zetsuei belongs to A.J. And now, with no further delays, I present to you, chapter twenty-six.

(Edited A/N: This chapter was written during two different years. The beginning was written more or less shortly after Ch. 25 was posted, so Sep 2009 or so. I will note later in the text with another author's note where I continued writing the rest of the chapter in 2011. Just a fun fact for you to be able to see the course of my development of my writing style.)

* * *

Chapter Twenty-six: The Precipice of War

Morning had arrived, an Inuyoukai and Torayoukai tangled in one another's arms blinked against the sun's rays.

"Ohayou," Zetsuei murmured, grinning.

"Ohayou," Tsukimisou replied, nuzzling into her mate's chest. "Mou, last night was amazing,"

Zetsuei smirked. "Would you like a little more? I still have a few ideas on things we can do,"

Tsukimisou pretended to think for a moment. "Okay,"

The Torayoukai purred, rolling on top of her.

Needless to say, the two young lovers were quite occupied for many hours, their lovemaking playing out well into the mid-afternoon.

x0x0x0x

Tsurugi groaned. His head was _killing_ him. Clearly banging one's head against a wall had some serious repercussions, if not concussions. He massaged his forehead, the skin feeling tender to the touch.

'_You wouldn't have had this problem in the first place if you were in control of yourself,_' His mental voice chided him.

'_But they were having SEX!_' Tsurugi argued against his conscience.

'_That doesn't mean you had to stick around to watch and listen!_'

'_I didn't want them to catch me!_'

'_You said so yourself, they were too busy to notice. You could've easily slipped away at any time._'

The Inuyoukai boy growled, frustrated. It was going to be a _long_ day.

'_Chichiue…please hurry and get home._'

x0x0x0x

"He's WHAT?" Hana exclaimed in outrage.

"Noboru plans to weed out the true heir to the Tora clan throne by killing off every male Torayoukai within the same age range as the heir himself," Mizumi explained.

"We can't allow this to continue. Noboru must be stopped."

The Neko no Taisho nodded grimly. "Indeed. I've got a majority of the Tora clan congregated just outside my palace gates. They're very unhappy about Noboru's present actions."

"How can we find the heir, then?" Kyoriko asked. "Does anyone know who he is?"

"I believe we can be of assistance," Sesshoumaru said.

Mizumi raised an eyebrow at the taiyoukai. "Oh?"

"You know the youkai called Zetsuei, yes?"

"Of course I do. What about him?"

The inuyoukai smirked. "It seems that in a recent encounter with Noboru, Zetsuei was able to retrieve part of a scroll that would reveal the identity of the true Tora no Taisho. We need only take the scroll and find the true heir."

The Neko no Taisho grinned impishly. "Well, what are we waiting for? It seems a trip westward is in order, don't you think?"

Everyone nodded and immediately filed out of the room, crossed the courtyard, and stopped at the front gates.

"I would love to accompany the both of you," Mizumi began. "But I am needed here. My palace is in chaos. So I will await a messenger once you've learned the heir's identity. Good luck."

Sesshoumaru and Hana both inclined their heads politely before breaking into a run, the leaves rustling in their wake. Now that the immediate urgency of the situation had passed, their pace was considerably slower than it had been earlier, when Mizumi's life was in danger. It took them several hours to make it back to the Western Lands, but at long last, when the sun was sinking low on the horizon, the familiar walls and gates of the palace came into view.

The guards on watch saluted their lord and lady, opening the gate to let them in. As tired as they both were, they knew they had an important job to do. The moment they were inside, Shippou and Rin were there to greet them.

"Find Zetsuei. Tell him to bring the scroll."

x0x0x0x

Tsurugi sensed his parents' arrival immediately. He knew he had to get to Zetsuei and his sister before his mother and father found them together. He ran like his life depended on it—in a sense, it really did—and skidded to a stop outside his sister's bedroom door, not caring to knock, and nearly ripped the shoji out of the wall.

Thankfully, both his sister and Zetsuei were fully dressed.

"Tsu-kun, nan desuka?" Tsukimisou asked him innocently. (Translation: "What is it?")

The Taisho heir was direct: "Chichiue's home. Did you both bathe yet?"

Tsukimisou blushed. "How do you know about that?"

"I er…saw and heard you both last night. Sorry," he muttered, tacking on his apology as an afterthought.

The Taisho girl growled. "You were _watching_ us?" she demanded, enraged.

"Of course not, baka! I thought someone was breaking into your room last night! I was on guard duty. So I went to investigate. It's not my fault I happened to see and hear things I _really_ didn't want to know about! Think about how traumatized I am!"

She scoffed at him. "How traumatized _you_ are? What about _me_? I just found out my little brother witnessed the most intimate moment of my entire life! Do you have any idea how _violating_ that is?"

"Well whose fault was it for leaving the courtyard door open letting anyone get a free show if they wanted?"

"That is enough, Tsurugi." Zetsuei said icily. "Despite what you've seen and heard and what you've said, I'm not going to kill you. But I would ask you to apologize to Tsukimisou. You have spoken out of turn and suggested improper things about her. I will not be as forgiving should there be a second incident. Do we have an understanding?"

The Inuyoukai boy nodded. "Hai, wakarimasu." (Translation: "Yes, I understand.")

"In answer to your original question, both Tsukimisou and I have taken the necessary precautions and there will be no evidence to suggest our previous activities."

"Good," Tsurugi paused, hesitant to go on. "Anyway, whenever you're ready, Chichiue's waiting. I think he wants to talk to you, Zetsuei,"

The Torayoukai nodded once and held out his arm, Tsukimisou moving to take it. The two of them strode out of the room, Tsurugi trailing behind them. Eventually they made it to the taiyoukai's study, having followed his youki there.

"Let go of her arm!" Tsurugi hissed quietly at Zetsuei. "It looks suspicious!"

Zetsuei complied and reluctantly let go of Tsukimisou's arm, letting his arms fall to his sides. Tsurugi stepped forward and knocked on the door, hearing his father inviting them in, before he slid open the door.

"Chichiue," the Taisho heir greeted.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head at the three of them, his eyes on Zetsuei. "I thank you for coming so soon," he paused. "But this is not a social visit, as I am quite sure you have guessed,"

"What do you mean?" Tsukimisou asked worriedly, her brow creasing with concern. "What's going on? Is it Noboru?"

The taiyoukai nodded. "Your mother and I have recently returned from the East. Noboru illegally entered Neko clan lands and attacked. He attempted to assassinate the Neko no Taisho, Mizumi—"

"—he did _what_?" Tsurugi interrupted. "Kami-sama! Is she alright?"

Sesshoumaru stared at his son a moment, an eyebrow raised with curiosity. "Yes. She's fine. Mizumi can fight quite well on her own. She had sent one of her maids ahead to inform us of the attack and she had been holding Noboru off for hours until we arrived. Upon our arrival, Noboru fled. And after which, as you know, he enacted the order that all Torayoukai males aged seventeen to nineteen years be gathered and put to death in a poorly-concealed attempt to slaughter the true heir to the Tora clan's throne. Obviously, if Noboru keeps this up, he may get lucky and actually kill the true heir—"

"—No he won't. He can't kill the heir." Tsukimisou said suddenly. "He can gather every male in the Eastern Lands all he likes, but he won't find who he's looking for."

The taiyoukai turned to his daughter. "Oh? And why is that, Tsukimisou?"

"Because the heir is standing right next to me."

"Nani? How do you know? Do you have proof of this?"

"It's in the scroll, Chichiue." (A/N: Cue 2011 writing. Everything beyond this point is my current level of skill.)

"So you've read it?"

Tsukimisou nodded swiftly. "Yes. It plainly stated that Ayasegawa Zetsuei is the son of Zenjiro and rightful heir to the Tora Clan throne. I can bring the scroll to you to examine it for yourself if you'd like."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "That will not be necessary. Though," he paused, turning to Zetsuei. "It seems I must now terminate your services as my informant. A clan heir should not be performing duties reserved to their inferiors."

The Torayoukai's lips twitched into a slight grin. "I wouldn't mind remaining in your employ, Sesshoumaru-sama. If you wish it, I will gladly continue to serve you. I would hate to sit around and do nothing when I know I can be put to good use."

"Very well,"

"So," Tsurugi cut in. "What are we going to do about Noboru? He's attacked Mizumi. The Neko and Tora will be at war, won't they?"

"No. Mizumi would not needlessly lead her people into battle within her own lands," Sesshoumaru answered curtly. "She's far too intelligent for that. She's a wise ruler, wise beyond her years."

"If they're not at war, what's our next move? Are we just going to sit around while Noboru keeps trying to kill his own people? Will we do nothing?"

"Don't be so hasty, Tsurugi. This must be carefully planned."

"We don't have time!"

"Then we will make it," Sesshoumaru's gaze grew severe. "Haste leads to reckless carelessness. Rushing into things without a plan of action will cause casualties that could have been easily avoided. You must be patient, Tsurugi. I am well aware of the severity of the situation. And I know that Noboru's assassination attempt will not go unpunished. Naturally, the Neko clan will need to first sever any sort of ties of allegiance to Nobobru. Mizumi will likely enlist our help at that point. And then together we will need to work to remove Noboru from the throne and have Zetsuei put on it in his place. However, Noboru does not seem the type that will go willingly without a fight. It will likely come to some sort of confrontation. The resulting conflict can either be small, or grow into a full-scale uprising. However, we cannot know which path future events will take until we arrive at that precise moment in time. So…this is where things stand. It's Mizumi's move. We will intervene when we are called to act, no earlier, no later."

Tsurugi nodded slowly, his discontent clear upon his face. "Fine."

"Now we wait," Tsukimisiou murmured.

Sesshoumaru gave a curt nod, echoing his daughter's words. "Now we wait."

x0x0x0x

Mizumi sighed, rubbing her temples. She was sitting in the throne room, the Torayoukai evacuees sitting around her, one after the other, some voiced their concerns over Noboru's new policy, and others cried and wailed, demanding the return of their sons. The volume level in the room had escalated to nearly unbearable, giving the Neko no Taisho a splitting headache.

"Please Mizumi-sama! You cannot let this go on!" A Tora mother cried.

"You must do something! The Neko clan _must_ act!" said another.

"Will the Neko no Taisho stand for such atrocity? Will you do nothing? Those are our sons being rounded up and sent off like pigs to the slaughter!" A large Torayoukai male fumed.

"What if they were _your_ sons, Mizumi-sama? Would you do something about it then?"

"You must FIGHT!"

"Lord Zenjiro would be appalled to see the Tora lands in such a state!"

The shouts kept coming and coming. Now, Mizumi knew, she had to put her foot down. Sighing again, she raised a hand for silence, but it went ignored. She groaned in aggravation.

"Enough!" she shouted, the room quieting at last. "As it stands, the Neko clan is at the precipice of war with your people. Your lord and Taisho, Ayasegawa Noboru attempted to assassinate me mere hours ago!"

Upon hearing these words, the Torayoukai and the few Nekoyoukai present in the room erupted with cries of outrage. The room was filled with a cacophony of voices, each one indistinct from another; cries of disbelief were mixed with howls of fury, Neko clan members suddenly shifted into a feline battle stance, hissing at the Torayoukai, the Tora roaring right back. Hostility and killing intent radiated from every corner of the room—every corner but one.

"SILENCE!" Mizumi yelled, standing from her throne, the effect quite dramatic.

Immediately the hostile aura dissipated, Neko and Torayoukai alike cowering in the face of the Neko no Taisho.

"There will be no fighting between clans while you occupy my lands, even moreso while in _my house_. Any of you who see fit to spill either Neko or Tora blood against my orders will be punished severely. Make no mistake, I do not wish to plunge the East into a civil war any more than you, the Tora, do. But if there is no other option, I will have no choice but to lead my people into war against Noboru.

"You're right. He must be stopped. But first, you must understand _why_ he has suddenly chosen this new policy of mandatory sacrifice of your sons. Noboru's right to the Tora clan throne will soon be challenged. The true heir, Zenjiro's son, has come of age. Noboru fears being forced to step down for his nephew to take his place.

"For years, Noboru has kept his nephew's existence hidden—perhaps he's even gone far enough to suggest that his nephew is dead. This is not the case! He's forced you to never mention his brother in fear of stirring your memory of Zenjiro's only son. I shall now reveal to you what Noboru has never wanted to be made known, what Noboru has been hiding from his people for years!

"Zenjiro's death was no accident. Your current Taisho attained his post by an act of treason. Zenjiro was murdered by his brother! None other than Noboru himself!"

There was a scream of horror and a thud as one of the Torayoukai women in the room fainted. An uneasy murmur stirred the crowd. There were gasps of horror as others came to the realization that what Mizumi had just said could be anything but the truth. But then came a question.

"But why is he killing our sons? What purpose is there in it?"

Mizumi regarded the young Torayoukai who dared speak up sympathetically, hesitating a moment before responding. "Noboru is hoping to weed out the true heir by killing any Torayoukai male that is around the age of Zenjiro's son."

"Surely you won't allow him to succeed! You must stop him!"

"Well," Mizumi started, unable to hold back the grin that had just graced her lips. "It's common courtesy to ask nicely first."

Several of the Torayoukai grinned, catching onto the hint in the Neko no Taisho's words. There was a hungry gleam in their eyes now—vengeance.

x0x0x0x

Noboru was fuming. He had sealed off the Tora lands the moment the first and _only_ group of escapees had managed to slip out of the gates and into Neko territory. He shot a contemptuous look at a nearby aide, making an impatient gesture with his hand. The aide nodded once, swallowing nervously as he slid open a nearby door.

"Bring them!" the Tora no Taisho snarled.

An armed guard of six Torayoukai led in a dozen young Tora clan boys, none of them looking a day over eighteen. Each boy had been blindfolded and bound, their arms tied behind their backs. Ropes connected each boy to the other so they could not escape nor move in any other direction but forward.

The boys' knees began to shiver and quake; they could sense the deathly chill in the room the moment they were led in. One by one, a member of the armed guard came to remove their blindfolds. The boys blinked, trying to clear their eyes and adjust to the light, having been in darkness for so long.

"Do you know why you have been brought here?" Noboru asked.

The boys shook their heads in unison.

"I suspect one of you to be a traitor. One among you plans to overthrow me. I cannot afford such a risk. Extreme circumstances require extreme measures, I'm afraid."

"No!" cried one of the boys. "We are loyal to you! We swear!"

"Please, don't kill us!"

"I just want to go home! I want to see my family!"

"Why are you keeping us here? We've done nothing!"

Noboru held up his hand to silence them. "Perhaps if one of you point out the traitor, I will spare the rest of you."

Suddenly the boys were frantic, looking between one another until finally settling on one person to accuse as the traitor.

"It's _him_!" they shouted. "He's the one!"

Noboru smirked, looking to one of the members of his guard. "Souzen, show these boys what we do to traitors, will you?" **(A/N: The following scene is disturbing and graphic in nature. Be advised.)**

The guardsman named Souzen grinned and drew the sword from his waist. With a laugh, it sang through the air. A second later, a head rolled. The accused boy's eyes were still frozen with fear as he stared unblinkingly up at the one who ordered his execution. Blood spattered the boys nearest the one who had just been beheaded. Suddenly there were screams of panic, many of the boys struggling to break free of their bonds.

Noboru gave a nod of his head and the other five guardsmen drew their swords, standing behind the line of eleven boys, prepared to deliver the final killing blow.

"Any last words?" the pseudo-Taisho asked.

"You _liar_," one of the boys, seemingly the eldest of the group, seethed as he shook with rage. "You killed the one you wanted. But you're still going to murder us anyway,"

"You have something you wish to say, boy?"

The boy glared at Noboru, causing the latter to blanch slightly under the ferocity of the former's gaze. Noboru had seen eyes like those before. They were the eyes of his nephew. They had the same anger in them, the same feral look.

"Why are you doing this? What's your _real_ reason?" he asked.

"Seeing as you're about to die, I don't see the harm in telling you the truth. I'm sending a message to my nephew," Noboru answered. "You see, I killed his father—yes, my own brother—and I took the title of Taisho for myself. But now my dear nephew is grown and he can rightfully take his place as Tora no Taisho, which leaves me in a small predicament.

"I've grown rather attached to this position. I enjoy the power. I'd hate to have to leave it. Not when it's been mine for eighteen years—since before you were born, actually. So I'm sure my nephew has discovered the truth of his birth by now. I'm hoping he'll come here himself as a sacrifice so I don't have to keep killing you all. That way there will only be one death instead of, oh say, a hundred, perhaps more, depending on how long it takes him to act."

"You bastard. You disgust me. I hope that when the day comes, your nephew kills you. You deserve it. You're the traitor. Just wait, you'll see."

Noboru scowled and motioned to the guardsmen, who took a stance, preparing to swing.

"I'll see you in hell!"

Six swords swept through the air and eleven heads rolled, the lifeless bodies falling to the ground like a line of dominoes. Even in death, the boy who dared challenge him stared defiantly up at him, his eyes still as ferocious as ever.

The pseudo-Taisho glowered at the boy's severed head for a moment then turned to the guardsmen. "Such a mess this is," he said.

"Shall we dispose of the bodies, my lord?" one of the guardsmen asked.

"The bodies, yes. I have other plans for the heads,"

"What are your instructions?"

"Perhaps you could deliver them to the Neko clan's gates. Surely, these boys' mothers must miss their sons. We mustn't deprive them of their reunion."

x0x0x0x

A messenger approached the gates surrounding the Neko clan lands, a large burlap sack flung over his shoulder as he streaked through the night. He stopped at the gate and knocked.

"State your business," a voice answered from the opposite side of the gate.

"I come on Noboru-sama's behalf. I have a message for your lady."

Slowly the gate opened and a Neko guard approached the messenger, eyeing him critically. "I will escort you to Mizumi-sama."

The messenger nodded and followed after the guard, who led him to the palace and straight to the throne room where Mizumi was seated, still surrounded by the Torayoukai evacuees.

At their approach, Mizumi glanced over at them. "Yes?" she prompted.

The guard bowed. "This messenger says he has a message for you from the Tora no Taisho."

Suddenly the crowd of Torayoukai looked up curiously. Mizumi beckoned the messenger forward with her hand as she stood. He stepped forward, taking the sack from his shoulder. **(A/N: Another disturbing and graphic scene coming up.)**

"Mizumi-sama," he greeted politely, handing her the sack.

In the light of the room, the Neko no Taisho held up the bag, her eyes narrowing as she noticed dark stains on the fabric that looked a lot like blood. She drew the leather cord holding the bag closed and reached inside. Her fingertips brushed against what felt ominously like human hair. She felt her stomach clench as her hand closed over something to hold onto, hoping against hope that it wasn't what she thought it was as she pulled it out of the bag.

A scream rent the air as everyone in the room saw what was in Mizumi's hand. The severed head of a young boy, his eyes still wide with terror. The Neko no Taisho dropped the bag in shock, another eleven heads rolling out onto the floor.

"NOOOOOO!" A mother wailed in anguish, recognizing one of the dead faces. "My son! Not my son!"

Several other voices joined the first, crying out in their grief. Mizumi hissed angrily, feeling waves of rage and sadness crash over her in tandem as she stared into the eyes of the dead faces around her. When the cries abated to muffled sobs, she turned to the Tora messenger, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Tell your lord that if he executes anymore children, I will have no choice but to stop him. Consider this my warning," she said coldly.

The messenger nodded and turned to leave, the Neko guard that brought him in following him out. Many of the crying families followed his departure with their eyes, snarling at him as he left.

Mizumi looked to one of the servants, who walked over to her immediately. "See to it that the families of these boys—" she gestured to the severed heads "—are allowed to give their sons a proper burial. It's the least I can do for them."

The servant nodded and walked over to the crowd of Torayoukai, several of them getting to their feet, husbands supporting their wives, older siblings trying to console the younger ones. Silently, they moved to where Mizumi stood, kneeling at her feet, taking what remained of their sons, and whispered words of gratitude to the Neko no Taisho before being led out of the room.

Sighing heavily, Mizumi collapsed upon her throne, staring at the blood on her hands. Twelve innocent children had died today. Suddenly it felt as though she had aged many years. The boys were about her age, but their faces all seemed younger somehow in death.

They had all been killed for no reason. No reason but Noboru's desire to hold onto his power.

She knew, then, that Noboru would not be stopped. He didn't care about anything but his throne anymore. He would kill as many people as it took. There was no doubt now of what exactly that man was capable of.

Shaking with fury, Mizumi turned to look at the still-weeping Torayoukai gathered in the hall, then to her maids who stood demeurely in a corner, glancing at each of them in turn. At last, her eyes found those of her oldest friend and mentor.

Mamoru, her royal physician gave her a look that clearly seemed to say, "Do what you think is right. Trust your instincts."

The Neko no Taisho gave a slow, firm nod.

"Send word to Sesshoumaru of the West. Tell him to prepare for a coup. We're getting that bastard off the throne."

* * *

**A/N:** _A Message from the Author – _Let me begin with how very truly sorry I am for how long it's been between updates. On September 23, 2011 (my 21st birthday, no less) I will begin my senior year at the university. The past couple years of school have truly been busy for me. I've been hard at work on my novel—I'm nearly finished with it—and I've also been trying to keep up my grades while dealing with real life problems. Unfortunately, this fic took a sideline on the list of important things to do. When I began writing "Moon" I was only fifteen. Now coming up on my 21st birthday, a lot has changed in the past five—nearly six—years. I've got different things that take priority and I'm trying to balance and get all those priorities handled and attempt to squeeze in time for hobbies and fun. I've also trying to find a job and get my name out into the writing community—I've actually been published as of July 25, 2011; the eBook my work is available for purchase now—and finally learn to drive. So, all those adult things. But despite all of this going on, I want you all to know, no matter how long the delays are, I _will_ finish this fic. I'm still keeping my promise I made to you all. I apologize that this update may not seem worth the wait, but I will try to put out more to make up for what I've been putting you all through. I appreciate your patience and I thank you for bothering to stick with me this long despite my ridiculously long hiatuses.

Thank you very much again, and I hope to see you all again for Chapter 27.


	27. The Messenger

**A/N:** Back again for another chapter. Hopefully by the time this is posted it is _not_ almost two years later. That would be unfortunate. Disclaimer will be read by eh…me, I guess.

Me: I don't own Inuyasha or any other work I have alluded to during the course of writing this fanfic. I own my plot and my characters. Characters that are not of my creation are the respective property of their rightful owners. (Carrie and A.J.) With that, please enjoy chapter twenty-seven.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Messenger

Aijii sat at his desk in his math class, bored out of his mind. After the Battle of Nagashino, his parents were highly insistent upon him returning to school. Thus, he, his sister, Kago, and Yuri were left behind in the Modern Era yet again. It irritated the boy to no end. He knew the adults were doing it on purpose. They were trying to keep him and the others out of the way. His lips twisted into a scowl.

It wasn't fair. Tsurugi was a mere two years older than he was, yet the Taisho heir got to stick around in the thick of the action. Adding insult to injury, his own mother had been a year older than he was when she first arrived in the Sengoku Jidai fighting off demons. If that wasn't enough, his aunt was a year younger than him when she was running into battle!

He was sick and tired of being left behind, of being treated like a child. He was old enough to fight. Hadn't he already done that much at Nagashino? He _deserved_ to be part of everything going on instead of being sidelined. After all, he was the one that got his gut slashed open and had the Shikon no Tama come out of his body.

Scowling, he pulled the offending jewel from the inside of his pocket, glaring mutinously at it.

Beside him, Kago looked up at his best friend with concern. "You okay?" he whispered.

Aijii shook his head.

The Inu-Ryuu boy sighed, glancing between his cousin's surly demeanor and the jewel clutched tightly in his hand. Putting two and two together, he quickly figured out the reason for his friend's frustration.

"Look," he said. "I don't like it either. But our parents are just trying to keep us safe. And we _are_ safer here. Yuri, especially. Harukichi can't make any moves to take her in this era. Or any of us, for that matter. In the feudal era, we're all free game—easy pickings for youkai."

"We're still being left behind," Aijii muttered. "We're a part of this just as much as they are. Yet they're treating us like kids. I'm tired of this kiddie table shit! Nevermind what we've had to go through these past few weeks; seems like nothing we've done matters to them anyway!"

Kago frowned slightly. "I know it's frustrating—"

"—no you don't! Don't you see? It's unfair! Your mother was fighting demons at Yuri's age! My mother was only a year older than I was when she literally got dragged into the Sengoku Jidai!"

"Aijii, I get it, alright? I really do. I know it isn't fair. You don't have to bite my head off,"

"Sorry,"

"But have you ever thought that maybe our parents want better for us than they had?"

Now it was Aijii's turn to frown. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that they want to give us a chance that they never had themselves. Don't you think that if they had the choice, they would've wanted to have a normal childhood? You know, one without demons or worrying about being attacked every five minutes? I'm sure they would've traded _anything_ to have had that chance. But they didn't get it. So they're doing the next best thing. They're trying to give us what they never had. They don't want us to have to worry about any of this. They want to give us normal—at least, as normal as possible—lives."

"I…I never thought about that."

"It's something to think about. They're over there fighting for something—us."

x0x0x0x

The bell chimed, signaling the end of the school day. Slowly, students packed away their books, slinging bags over their shoulders and headed out the door. Among the throng of students were two inu-ryuu and two quarter inuyoukai children. Together the four of them met in the courtyard and began to walk home. The eldest of them, the quarter-inuyoukai boy yawned hugely and stretched, sighing.

"So, I've been thinking," Aijii started.

"I hope you didn't strain yourself." Satsu quipped.

"Shut up!" the boy snapped, glaring daggers at his sister, who smirked to herself but fell silent. "Anyway, I've been thinking. We keep getting left behind here—"

"—oh come on, Aijii! Not this _again_!" Kago interrupted. "We _just_ talked about this!"

"Can I finish my damn sentence without my dumbass sister and idiot best friend interrupting me?"

"Continue, Aijii," Yuri murmured.

"_Anyway_, our parents are leaving us behind to protect us."

"Oh well done. Like we hadn't figured _that_ one out already," Satsu muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Satsu, I swear to Kami-sama if you do not shut up…"

"Alright, alright!"

"_ANYWAY_, for the _third_ time, we should do something about that."

Kago turned to his best friend, a puzzled expression on his face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. Our parents are having us go to school here in the modern world because they're worried about us getting hurt. They're worried about us because we're barely able to defend ourselves. You and I all know we got damn lucky at the Battle of Nagashino. But at the same time, we could've easily gotten ourselves killed. And we would've been if our parents or somebody hadn't stepped in to help us out,"

"So when you said 'do something about it' did you mean…?"

Aijii nodded, glad his best friend was catching on so fast. "Exactly. We need to train. We've got to learn to fight. If we can take care of ourselves, our parents won't be as worried about us. They'll have no reason to leave us out of the action anymore. We're all involved in this, just like them! We must become strong."

"It's a good idea, except there's one fatal flaw," Satsu said.

"And what would that be, sis?"

"Who exactly is going to teach us? It's not like there's a magic hotline to dial; 1-800-FOR-YODA? Not likely to happen."

"If you'd been listening, _dumbass_, you would've heard I was talking about us doing it ourselves."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Are you deaf?"

"We can't learn by ourselves! Who in their right mind would do something so stupid?"

"I'm game," Kago said with a smirk. "Sounds like fun."

"Yes," Yuri nodded. "We do need to learn."

Aijii laughed suddenly, pointing at his sister mockingly. "Ha! Outvoted, Satsu! Three-to-one!"

"Shut up!" Satsu snapped, scowling. "Don't let it get to your head!"

"Too late!" the inu boy shouted, puffing out his chest and starting to strut as he walked alongside his three companions.

Growling furiously now, Satsu pulled her backpack from her shoulders and slammed the weight of it down over her older brother's head, effectively knocking him face first into the ground.

"BAKA!" she screamed.

"Owwww! That _hurt_!"

"When you two are done there," Kago began. "I think I've got an idea where we can train."

Aijii pushed up against the ground with the heels of his palms and got to his feet, dusting himself off. "Oh yeah? Do tell."

"Baa-chan's, of course. Though we should only spar at _your_ baa-chan's. Higurashi-ji-san would have a fit if we accidentally destroyed part of the house. We can do more advanced stuff at my baa-chan's. At least Megumi-baa-chan would be better equipped to handle youki and youkai power-induced accidents."

"Sounds good to me! So…the only question now is, where do we start?"

"It's quite simple, really," said Yuri. "We start at the beginning; get back to basics."

Aijii and Kago smiled then, the pair exchanging a glance that seemed to indicate they were thinking along the same lines.

"Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go!"

x0x0x0x

Sesshoumaru stood in the garden, watching Hana as she picked herbs nearby. He didn't normally accompany his mate to the garden, but he was glad to spend time in her presence, away from work, meetings, and all his worries. For once, it was peaceful.

Hana got to her feet, standing at last, after picking a few of the leaves from a low-growing shrub and setting them in her basket. She turned, seeming to realize that Sesshoumaru was there, half-smiling in amusement.

"How long have you been standing there, anata?" she asked.

"Not long," he replied. "It's intriguing how at ease you are when you're here."

"Perhaps you should visit more often. You could assist me."

The taiyoukai raised an eyebrow curiously. "What sort of assistance would you require?"

"That would depend on the task I was set upon doing. I could be coming to water the garden or weeding it, or, today, coming to collect herbs to make poultices with."

"I see."

She nodded.

"Have you collected all the herbs you need?"

"Well, I could do with a few more,"

"Which ones?"

The miko-youkai crossed to the opposite side of the garden, studying the plants around her. "Oh! These," she pointed with a finger. "Were you offering to assist me, Sesshoumaru?"

A small grin curved the taiyoukai's lips. "Hm…perhaps I was."

x0x0x0x

"Ne, Zetsu-kun,"

The Torayoukai looked up, turning his head to glance at his mate, who sat a few feet away. "Hai?" he asked.

"Would you teach me how to wield a katana?"

Zetsuei arched a brow. "You wish for me to teach you kendo?"

"Yes."

"May I ask why?"

Tsukimisou sighed. "I don't like feeling defenseless. Ever since I had to face that doll of myself Zenatsu made…my doll-self, she told me, 'Zenatsu-sama made me better than you!' and it's been bothering me ever since. Not actively bothering me, but slowly eating away at me, bit by bit. And now that you know you're the true Tora no Taisho, you'll have other things to worry about, namely getting control of the Tora lands away from your uncle.

"You're so strong, Zetsu-kun. I need to be strong too. Otherwise, I'll be a liability—a weakness for you. I need to be able to defend myself. If I don't, you'll end up worrying about my safety, and you shouldn't have to. There will come a time where you won't be able to protect me all the time. I should prepare for it."

"I understand," Zetsuei nodded slowly. "I will teach you what I know."

"Really?"

The Torayoukai nodded again, grinning. "A new dance for Tsukimisou."

"A new dance indeed…"

"Come. You've got much to learn."

Zetsuei moved to offer a hand up, which Tsukimisou took, and proceeded to lead her out of the room.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"The armory," he answered.

"Why there?"

"We'll need to borrow some bokutou and a pair of katana as well to practice with,"

"Oh, I see."

"Where _is_ the armory anyway?"

Tsukimisou giggled. "Perhaps I should lead the way then,"

Zetsuei grinned. "After you, Tsukimisou-san."

"Mou, you need to learn to stop doing that now,"

"Eh?"

"Being so formal with me."

"I admit it's a force of habit. Though I don't see why I shouldn't continue to act as such."

The Taisho heiress paused mid-step, giving the Torayoukai a curious look.

"Zetsu-kun, you've seen me naked. I think we're well beyond exchanging formalities now."

Zetsuei smirked. "Perhaps you've got a point there, Tsuki-chan."

"Better," she said nodding in approval. "Come along then; I could've sworn you told me I had a lot to learn."

x0x0x0x

"First thing you have to know about wielding a katana is how to properly hold one," Zetsuei began.

He and Tsukimisou had found a large, empty room to practice in after stopping by the armory for a pair of bokutou and blunt-edged practice katana.

"So, take a hold of this," the Torayoukai continued, handing his mate one of the bokutou. "And I'll see if your grip is right or not."

Tsukimisou took the wooden sword into her hands; it felt clumsy and heavy. She wrapped her fingers firmly around the hilt, watching as Zetsuei stepped over toward her to examine the way she was holding it.

Suddenly, his breath tickled her ear and he was standing directly behind her, reaching around her with his hands covering her own, correcting her grip.

"Iie, Tsuki, like this," he whispered, moving her hands into the proper position.

"Oh, hai," she murmured.

"And now, for your stance,"

His hands moved away from hers and up to her face, lightly tilting her chin up, then down to her shoulders, rolling them back. To her arms, where he bent them at the elbows, moving lower to her waist, pulling her against him to straighten her spine, his actions earning him a surprised gasp.

"Don't get any ideas,"

"Too late for that," she muttered.

Tsukimisou flushed crimson, her embarrassment a clear indication that her mind was currently entertaining some _very_ interesting ideas. Zetsuei glanced at her, laughing quietly and shaking his head at her.

"Try to concentrate now," he said, still laughing lightly. "We'll have plenty of time to indulge in those particular ideas of yours later."

The Taisho heiress grinned. "I do like the sound of that,"

"Consider it your reward for good behavior."

"This is going to be a _long_ day, isn't it?" she moaned.

Zetsuei smirked. "That all depends on you, my dear."

x0x0x0x

Tsurugi wandered the halls aimlessly, almost in hope of something interesting to appear out of thin air. But so far, he had had no such luck. Servants passed him occasionally as he walked past, each of them stopping mid-step and bowing politely and bidding him good morning.

He yawned, stretching out his arms as he walked, pausing as a curious sound caught his ear—the sounds of a spar. Lowering his arms back down to his sides, he continued down the corridor. He could hear voices now, voices he recognized. Curiously, he stepped closer toward a door and slid it open a crack.

Inside the room, he saw Zetsuei and his sister, both dressed in practice clothes, their sleeves pulled back, and armed with bokutou. The pair of them seemed to be engaged in a sparring match, both of their swords straining against one another.

"Step forward, try to break my guard," Zetsuei instructed. "But keep your stance. Try to use the closer proximity as a means to force me to lower my sword."

"Hai!"

Tsukimisou stepped forward, and suddenly Zetsuei was struggling to keep his own stance and hold the Taisho heiress's sword back.

"Now, quickly, make a sideways sweep. Disarm me. You've got me at a disadvantage. I won't be able to guard and keep myself from losing my weapon at the same time. My stance is unstable."

Tsurugi watched in amazement as his sister drew back the bokutou and sent Zetsuei's own flying out of his hands the moment the two connected. Tsukimisou moved in, the end of her sword pointed at the base of the Torayoukai's throat.

"You're dead," she declared triumphantly.

"Indeed, I would be," Zetsuei smiled. "You're learning fast."

"I'm a quick study, Zetsu-kun. Besides, you're an excellent teacher."

The Torayoukai laughed, glancing at the door, arching a brow. "Oh. Care to join us, Tsurugi-san?"

Taking this as an invitation into the room, the Taisho heir slid the door open further and stepped inside.

"So you're teaching her kenjutsu?" he inquired.

"Tsuki-chan requested I teach her." Zetsuei answered with a nod.

"How much have you taught her? Any battoujutsu yet?"

Zetsuei shook his head. "I've merely taught her the basics. She can handle the sword and I've been teaching her the proper forms and footwork. I planned on progressing to battoujutsu when I feel she's mastered everything else so far."

"Mind if I test her?"

"Ask her yourself."

Tsurugi turned to his sister, with a smirk. "How about it, Nee-chan? Want to see if Zetsuei's taught you enough to kick my ass yet?"

"Is that even a valid question, Ototo-chan?" she asked.

"Here," Zetsuei said suddenly. He handed the two of them a katana each. "The cutting edge is blunted, so it's safe to use."

Tsukimisou set the bokutou in her hand aside and took the sword, Tsurugi doing the same. Each took ready stances, waiting for the signal to start. Zetsuei leaned in towards his mate, grinning.

"Just do as I've taught you, Tsuki-chan," he murmured. "And don't get discouraged, even if you lose,"

The Taisho heiress nodded in understanding just as Zetsuei uttered the word "Begin."

Tsurugi rushed in immediately, making moves to strike, testing his sister's defenses. Above, below, from the sides, and in the middle, he struck, trying to land a hit. But every attempt was met by the clang of a sword as Tsukimisou moved to block. He retreated back a few steps, taking a moment to shake out his sword arm while also waiting for his sister to move in with a counterattack of her own.

"Not bad, Nee-chan. That's a pretty solid guard you've got," he commented.

"Thanks," she replied, holding her katana at the ready.

She studied Tsurugi's posture carefully—_look for an opening_, Zetsuei had taught her—trying to find a weakness in his stance. Tsukimisou knew her brother wasn't fighting her at full strength, but he was still underestimating her ability nonetheless. Careless as ever, he hadn't even bothered to keep his guard up around her. She'd found a weakness.

Smirking, she made her move, striking from every possible angle. Tsurugi was taken aback for only a moment before blocking at the last second.

Then there was a flash of swords and Tsukimisou was disarmed. Her brother stood behind her, his blade pressed up against her throat.

"You lose," he said, lowering his sword.

Tsukimisou cursed irritably.

"Don't get me wrong, that was really quite good, Nee-chan. Especially since you're only just now learning all this. But there's still lots of room for improvement,"

"Like what?"

"Well, for one, you guard the front pretty good, but your back is vulnerable. That's how I was able to win. You weren't guarding yourself there. In battle, you're going to have to be able to cover all your sides, even the ones you can't see. Otherwise the enemy's going to take you down easily."

"How am I supposed to guard the back though?" Tsukimisou asked, puzzled.

"Allow me to demonstrate," Zetsuei answered. "Tsurugi, if you don't mind? Tsuki-chan learns best from observing."

The Taisho heir nodded. "Sure."

The Torayoukai picked up the katana that had fallen from Tsukimisou's hand when she'd been disarmed and gripped it, readying himself, and faced Tsurugi. The Taisho heir nodded, Zetsuei nodding back. Then, both charged.

Tsurugi and Zetsuei were immediately locked in a stalemate, both straining their swords against the other, hoping to break through the other's guard by brute strength alone. But after a few seconds of struggling, it soon became clear the two were about evenly matched. It would be a battle of skill versus skill. Tsurugi made the first move, dropping into a crouch and making a low sideways sweep, which Zetsuei leapt backwards with ease to avoid.

"You know, I never expected you to be able to wield a katana," Tsurugi said conversationally. "You always use those twin kodachi of yours when you fight."

"I prefer the versatility of kodachi, but I'm well-versed in using a proper sword as well."

"Let's see how good you really are then!"

Zetsuei went on the offensive, causing the Taisho heir to backpedal rapidly hearing nothing but the crash of blades around him as he blocked again and again. Soon, Tsurugi found himself backed up against the wall. He lunged to the side and lashed out, hoping to land a sideblow only to have that attempt blocked as well.

Darting around, Tsurugi moved to strike, charging in to attack before quickly withdrawing and rushing in from another direction. Hoping to use the confusion of multiple directions of attack, the Taisho heir gradually moved into position to strike Zetsuei from behind. He charged forward, blade ready.

Mere inches away from landing the blow, the Torayoukai turned at the last second, blocking Tsurugi's sword in the nick of time. The swords strained together again, Zetsuei holding back the Taisho heir's katana with the blade near the hilt. Then Zetsuei leaned backwards, giving Tsurugi a split-second gain, before roughly pushing forward against the swords and sending the Taisho heir crashing to the ground.

Tsurugi did a backwards somersault, using the momentum of the roll to get back on his feet again. He charged towards Zetsuei head on, and hoping to confuse the Torayoukai, vanished the moment the blades should have connected, reappearing directly behind him to follow through.

_CLANG!_

"No way…" the Taisho heir said in disbelief.

Zetsuei had blocked the rear strike, the broad edge of his katana deflecting the cutting edge of Tsurugi's. The Torayoukai had managed to shift his sword to one hand to block behind his back. His sword arm was at his hip, angling the blade upward at precisely the right angle, effectively holding the other sword back.

Then Zetsuei twisted around, taking advantage of Tsurugi's moment of surprise to disarm him, sharply striking the Taisho heir's grip with the flat of his blade. The Inuyoukai boy loosened his hold on his katana immediately, dropping it in defeat.

"I believe I've won," the Torayoukai said with a victorious smirk. He turned to look over at Tsukimisou. "Did you see all of that?"

The Taisho heiress nodded. "Hai. I think I've got the idea."

"Good," said Tsurugi as he massaged his knuckles and shook out his hand, still trying to recover from Zetsuei striking it. "Show me."

Tsukimisou eyed her brother curiously. "Are you sure you're able to even hold a sword in that state?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"Alright, if you insist."

"I do. Now come at me."

The Taisho heiress sighed as Tsurugi knelt to pick up his katana, taking the second one from Zetsuei as he wordlessly offered it to her. Both shifted into ready stances, waiting for the Torayoukai to announce for them to start.

Neither of them was aware of moving after the call to begin had sounded. They reacted instinctively, both charging forward, swords clashing together again.

Tsurugi made no attempt to test his sister's defenses this time—he already knew she could block anything he'd try to throw at her from the front. Besides, the purpose of this little exercise was to see how much she'd actually learned from observing him and Zetsuei. He wanted to end this round quickly. There was no point in dragging things out if he only had one goal in mind.

Tsukimisou was ready for him. At least he was actually trying this time around. She had watched her brother and Zetsuei carefully, studying their movements, their stances, their forms. It was no different than learning to dance. Her instructors would perform the piece she was to do herself and she was tasked to imitate their movements exactly. The only difference was in the way she was expected to move. Unlike the dancing she had been used to, which focused on elegance and finesse, this new dance was structured on precision and force.

Her eyes followed her brother's movements closely—she'd found the pattern of his attack. He was trying to edge his way behind her. He wanted to end this match as quickly as possible by trying to attack her most vulnerable point. Her eyes narrowed. She wasn't going to let that happen. Not this time.

She forced him back with her blade; he countered and matched her, then fell back a few steps. Tsurugi ran toward her, leaping into the air, katana poised to strike.

"Oi!" Zetsuei shouted in warning. "No aerial attacks!"

The Torayoukai prepared to step in, only to find he did not have to. Tsukimisou's dancer reflexes had kicked in.

She dropped to her knees and bent backward, her brother sailing over her head, missing her by several inches. The Taisho heiress shifted into a crouch and rolled back onto the balls of her feet, using the momentum to stand, and quickly turned to face her brother who had just touched back down onto the ground.

Just as Tsurugi started to face her, Tsukimisou swung her sword in a full horizontal arc, the force of the blow making her brother's sword vibrate ominously on impact. With her brother's grip now unstable, she struck again, knocking the katana from his hand with ease, sending it flying a few feet away.

Tsurugi dove into a roll, avoiding a third pass of his sister's blade, and retrieved his weapon just in time to feel the point of a sword pressed against the back of his neck.

"Damn it," he muttered.

"Drop it." Tsukimisou instructed.

The Taisho heir sighed and reluctantly let his katana fall between his fingers. "Alright, you win."

A slow clap sounded from the doorway. Tsurugi, Tsukimisou, and Zetsuei all turned toward the source of the sound, seeing Sesshoumaru with an amused smirk upon his face.

"Impressive," the taiyoukai commented, addressing his daughter.

"Arigatou," Tsukimisou murmured.

Sesshoumaru turned to Zetsuei. "Did you teach her?"

The Torayoukai nodded. "Tsukimisou-san requested I give her lessons. I merely obliged."

"I see. You seem to have taught her well."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The taiyoukai simply nodded and then turned on his heel, walking away.

"We're done for today," Zetsuei said after several moments of silence.

The two Taisho siblings nodded and moved to straighten up the room and prepared to leave. It had been a long day.

Zetsuei had been instructing Tsukimisou for hours, but she'd learned so much so quickly. He was truly impressed with the progress she had made in a single day. Once she was better versed in sword arts, he knew she would be a formidable fighter indeed.

x0x0x0x

The day wore on and slowly wound down to a close. Sesshoumaru roamed the halls of his palace, watching the sun sink below the horizon. Today had been a blessing, yet at the same time, it was also a curse. It was the sort of day that marked the short-lived reprieve before the storm.

Servants bustled around him, lighting lanterns to fend off the approaching darkness of night. The taiyoukai paused at the window, watching the precise moment when noon gave way to dusk. As the first stars began to appear in the night sky, he felt a familiar presence beside him and take his hand.

Hana stared up at the sky, leaning her head against her mate's shoulder.

"It will begin soon, Hana-chan," he said suddenly.

"I know," she answered. "I can sense it too."

"Hai."

"Are they ready for it? Are _we_ ready for it?"

Sesshoumaru took a moment to consider her question before answering her. "We will have to be prepared. We have no other choice."

Hana sighed, knowing her mate's words rang true, as they usually did in situations like these.

Then at last, as night fell, the very thing they had been expecting to come did. A servant approached with an unfamiliar Nekoyoukai in tow. Both the taiyoukai and his mate turned at the pair's arrival, gazing at them expectantly.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," the servaid said. "An envoy from the Neko lands has arrived."

The Nekoyoukai bowed in greeting. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I come on behalf of my taisho, Ichitani Mizumi, Lady of the East."

"Speak," the taiyoukai commanded.

"Mizumi-sama sends me with this message: 'Ready the Western forces. Prepare for a coup. Convene in the East as soon as you are able. Noboru's reign must end.'"

Sesshoumaru breathed an almost unnoticed sigh. "Understood. Tell your taisho that I will set off for the East at first light tomorrow morning. Expect my arrival the day after next, sooner if I can manage it."

The Nekoyoukai messenger nodded in the affirmative and bowed again before turning to leave. The servant watched the messenger's retreating form for a moment before looking to Sesshoumaru.

"Orders, my lord?"

The taiyoukai glanced at his servant, arching a brow sardonically. "I would think that much should be obvious,"

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Inform all who were in command of my military units during the Battle of Nagashino of the situation. Inform the Torayoukai, Zetsuei, as well. He'll want to join us, I'm sure. Have them prepare to travel and be ready to leave by tomorrow morning. We'll need to formulate a plan to remove Noboru from power…_permanently_."

* * *

**A/N:** Another chapter done! Yay! I've been working pretty hard on this fic. This chapter's longer than normal, unlike the previous chapter, which was a bit shorter than normal. So hopefully this evens things out for you guys. Sorry I've been taking so long to get any work done on this thing, and I'm also sorry that this was a really slow, long, chapter. But I figured we needed a change of pace and we'd do well to have a bit of a breather to keep things nice and slow before the plot takes off and runs away again. The past few chapters have really just been me chaining battles together and after a while, that sort of thing gets really boring. I can't have my characters constantly fighting; otherwise there'll be nothing to build up once we get to the final showdown. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite the lack of anything going on. Things'll get a bit more interesting next chapter, I promise. I was just trying to give an idea of what was going on over in the West and with the kids, since we haven't seen them all that much and all of the action's in the East right now. (Like I said, change of pace.) So see you next time!

_Deleted Scenes – For your enjoyment: The result of being on a Skype call with my Co-Author, Carrie, while under the influence of Magnum chocolate-covered ice cream. Read at your own risk, you've been warned._

"I believe I've won," the Torayoukai said with a victorious smirk. He turned to look over at Tsukimisou. "Did you see all of that?"

The Taisho heiress nodded. "Hai. I think I've got the idea."

"Good," said Tsurugi as he massaged his knuckles and shook out his hand, still trying to recover from Zetsuei striking it. "Show me."

Tsukimisou eyed her brother curiously. "Are you sure you're able to even hold a sword in that state?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"Alright, if you insist."

"I do. Now come at me."

The Taisho heiress sighed as Tsurugi knelt to pick up his katana, taking the second one from Zetsuei as he wordlessly offered it to her. Both shifted into ready stances, waiting for the Torayoukai to announce for them to start.

And then Carrie appeared and kicked Tsurugi. Both Tsukimisou and Zetsuei looked up in surprise. The Taisho heir was confused as he quickly hit the ground.

"Who are you?"

Carrie looked down at Tsurugi with a grin. "I'm CARRIE, bitch!"

"_WHO_?"

"Your co-creator, idiot. I'm also secretly in love with your dad,"

There was a sudden shout of "WHAT?" from both the Taisho siblings, and from further away, a sneeze.

"And that's why my brain child, and own creation, Mizumi, you know, that sexy Nekoyoukai chick you imagined fucking about six different ways last chapter? Wait, that was two chapters ago. Anyway! Yeah, _that_ Mizumi. You're going to be marrying her. Rather, she's going to be marrying you. Because you're going to fuck her…LIKE A BOSS. And she's gonna like it."

Tsurugi blinked rapidly, trying to process the sudden influx of information. Both Tsukimisou and Zetsuei were at a loss for words.

Much to Tsurugi's misfortune, Tsukimisou was the first one to recover.

"Wait a minute," she said. "You said my brother imagined mating with Mizumi?"

Carrie nodded. "That's right."

"When did he do this?"

"While he was listening to you and Zetsuei fuck."

"WHAT! _**TSURUGI YOU BASTARD, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!**_"

And then Tsurugi ran for his life as if he'd never properly run before. Tsukimisou was right behind him, aiming to kill, not even caring that she was going to attempt to decapitate him with a blunt-edged sword. It'd be more painful for him that way anyway. This gave her a sense of satisfaction as she continued to chase her brother down, waiting for the moment of his demise.

_End of Deleted Scenes_.

(I sincerely apologize for the insanity above.)


	28. Wretches and Kings

**A/N:** Man, I'm just cranking these out like clockwork, aren't I? To do today's disclaimer is Mizumi because she's awesome. Take it away, Mizzy-chan!

Mizumi: *glares* Call me that name again and I might hurt you…Anyway! Aki does not own Inuyasha or anything else she's alluded to in the past, which could include, but is not limited to Memoirs of a Geisha, Star Wars, Resident Evil, and who the hell knows what else. Because the author has no idea what else for me to say at this point, I'm just going to stop talking and bid you all goodbye and on behalf of Aki-san, I hope you enjoy chapter twenty-eight.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Wretches and Kings

Zetsuei walked down the hall, following a servant. He was confused as to why he had been summoned. It had been per Sesshoumaru's request, which could mean only one thing—something was wrong.

The servant paused at a door. "In here, Zetsuei-san," he gestured at the door. "They're waiting for you. Please go inside."

And then the servant gave a short bow before walking away, leaving an even more confused Zetsuei behind. The Torayoukai sighed and slid open the door, entering what appeared to be some sort of meeting room. His eyes widened slightly upon seeing everyone who had been gathered there.

Sesshoumaru and Hana were seated at the head of the table, on the left side sat Mei Lhi, Kyo, and Tsurugi. On the right were Inuyasha and Kagome as well as an empty seat.

"What's all this about?" the Torayoukai asked at once.

"Please sit down," Hana said, gesturing to the place beside Kagome.

Zetsuei crossed the room and took his place beside the miko, glancing up at Tsurugi who sat directly across from him in question. The Taisho heir gave an almost unnoticeable shrug. He didn't seem to know why they were all there either.

Once Zetsuei had been settled, Sesshoumaru leaned forward to address the room.

"I am sure that all of you are likely wondering why I have summoned you here. Am I correct in making this assumption?"

Everyone but Hana nodded.

"Allow me to explain. An hour ago, a messenger arrived with word from Mizumi,"

At this, Tsurugi sharply looked up at his father, eyes flashing with alarm.

"It seems the state of things in the East has deteriorated to an alarming degree. I can only assume that Noboru has taken some sort of rash action which Mizumi sees as threat enough to stop him."

"'Stop him?'" Mei Lhi repeated. "You mean…?"

The taiyoukai nodded curtly.

"Mizumi wishes for us to prepare to remove Noboru from the the throne."

"So we're staging a coup d'etat?" Kyo asked.

"Correct."

"What's our end game?" Inuyasha questioned.

"The main objective is to depose Noboru and put Zetsuei in his place. Our primary goal is to get the rightful heir to power."

"Nani? Zetsuei-kun?" Kagome exclaimed.

"Zetsuei's the son of Zenjiro, Noboru's older brother," Tsurugi explained. "And the true leader of the Tora clan."

Hana looked to her mate in surprise. "Is this true?"

Sesshoumaru simply nodded again then turned to glance at the Torayoukai.

"So, Zetsuei, what we do from this point forward falls to you."

"To me? I don't understand."

"Are you prepared to claim the title you have been denied all these years? Will you ascend to power and take control of your people? Are you prepared to supplant your uncle to attain your birthright, no matter what it takes?"

The entire room fell silent; everyone's eyes were focused on Zetsuei, who grew tense under their gaze. He knew they were all waiting for his answer. His eyes dropped to the surface of the table as he sat there deep in thought, contemplating how to respond.

Noboru had lied to him for his entire life, kept him ignorant of his true heritage, all for the sake of keeping hold of the power of a Taisho. His uncle had done a lot of damage; he took part in wars for personal gain, he killed anyone who stood in his way, even his own blood. He had to be stopped; there was no question about that.

The Torayoukai sighed. He had no idea how to lead or how to be a leader. Without intending to, his thoughts drifted to Tsukimisou, who had always had so much faith in him. He thought back to the days before he was in love with her and how they talked of dreams and goals and making changes. He remembered how Tsukimisou had made him promise back then not to die so he could achieve the goals he had set for himself.

He had the chance now to achieve those goals, to make those changes himself. Closing his eyes, he could picture Tsukimisou clearly in his mind.

'_For you, Tsukimisou_…' he vowed.

At last, he had made his decision. He opened his eyes and raised his head at last, giving a firm nod.

"I am prepared."

"Good," Sesshoumaru said with a smirk. "I take it you've no qualms over the highly-likely possibility of murdering your uncle?"

The Torayoukai shook his head. "None whatsoever."

"I suggest you prepare for travel, Zetsuei," the taiyoukai said, pausing to look at all of the others gathered. "And so should the rest of you. We leave for the East at first light tomorrow."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"The journey from here to the Neko lands is a two day's march," Sesshoumaru went on. "But given that we're all more than capable of travelling much faster, we must try to arrive as soon as possible. The longer we take, the more time Noboru has to plot against us and perhaps even catch on to the task we are about to undertake."

"Keh! The bastard can't plot against us if he's dead," Inuyasha scoffed.

Sesshoumaru's lips curved upward slightly in amusement. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, little brother."

The hanyou nodded. "Yeah. He's not dead…yet."

x0x0x0x

Zetsuei walked down the hall, heading for Tsukimisou's room, where he'd left her when he got the summons. The meeting had adjourned and everyone went their separate ways to prepare for travel, and if necessary, an extended stay in the East.

The Torayoukai had barely gone down the corridor and turned a corner when he was pushed against against the wall, staring into Tsukimisou's concerned eyes.

"Is it true?" she asked him. "I heard that you're leaving. My father and everyone else too. You're all going to the East to get Noboru off the throne."

Slowly, he nodded. The Taisho girl gasped and clung to him tightly, burying her face into his chest.

"You could get hurt!" she cried out in protest. "I could lose you."

"I know it'll be dangerous," he whispered soothingly in her ear. "But I won't be going alone. I promise you, I will be careful."

"But it's my _entire_ family! You're all going off to do something that could likely get all of you killed!"

Zetsuei stared intently, looking deep into her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere," he vowed.

And then he pulled her close, his lips descending upon hers. Tsukimisou reacted instantly, her hand fisting in his haori as she kissed him back, leaning up onto her tiptoes to reach him. Zetsuei's hands roamed up her back, tangling one in the Taisho girl's hair, the other moving to bring her even closer to him so that there was no space between them.

Both youkai were far too distracted to notice the approaching footsteps, or the sound of someone impatiently clearing their throat. It wasn't until a familiar voice snapped "Oi!" that the two broke apart, their faces flushed and their eyes filled with a combination of panic and dread as they turned to face the one who had caught them.

Inuyasha arched a brow curiously at them, his eyes looking between the Inuyoukai girl and the Torayoukai boy. Much to his amusement, both of them seemed to visibly relax when they realized that it was he who had caught them.

"I'm just going to take a wild guess here," the hanyou started, smirking. "Sesshoumaru has no idea about this, does he?"

Tsukimisou shook her head. "Iie. I have yet to tell him."

Inuyasha laughed, suddenly understanding why both the Taisho heiress and the Torayoukai heir seemed so relieved to see him. The hanyou had no doubt that if it had been his brother who had discovered them after all, Zetsuei would've likely ended up suffering some kind of bodily harm. Whether that harm would be potentially fatal or not remained unclear.

"Well, Zetsuei, if you don't want Sesshoumaru to have an excuse to be pissed at you beyond all reason, you both should probably go while you've still got the chance," he said.

"You're not telling my father?" Tsukimisou asked, blinking in confusion.

The hanyou shrugged indifferently. "It's not up to me. I'm not your dad. What you do in your spare time is your own damn business. But doing stupid things like these," he paused, gesturing at the pair of them, still wrapped in one another's arms, "out in the open like this, you're practically asking to get caught. And it'll be your own damn fault when Sesshoumaru finds out."

Both the Torayoukai boy and the Inuyoukai girl nodded, simultaneously swallowing nervous lumps that had formed in both their throats.

"Thank you," Zetsuei murmured, releasing his hold on Tsukimisou and side-stepping to a respectable proximity away from her.

"What for?" Inuyasha wondered aloud, cocking a brow curiously.

"For your discretion."

"Keh. Whatever you say."

It was silent for a moment.

"Just out of curiosity, what would you two have done if I was Sesshoumaru?" the hanyou asked, smirking again.

"Panicked," Tsukimisou admitted. "I know Chichiue would've been furious."

"Tch! Over a kiss? Kami-sama, does he _still_ have a giant stick rammed up his ass after all these years? Here I thought Hana fixed that for him."

The Taisho girl blushed, wringing her hands anxiously. "It's a bit more complicated than that."

Inuyasha's brows furrowed in confusion as he studied the pair before taking a slow, deep breath of air, his nose registering a faint, albeit familiar scent. A mating mark.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" he snapped aloud, his tone disapproving.

There was no doubt now in Inuyasha's mind. Future Tora no Taisho or not, Sesshoumaru would've killed Zetsuei. The not-so-distant memory of Shippou and Rin's union suddenly came to mind. It had been nearly ten years ago, but the hanyou could remember it like it was yesterday. He knew all too well how protective his elder brother was of his pups. It was bad enough with Rin, but now with Tsukimisou, who was much more precious to her father than her older sister, the fallout would've been catastrophic.

He sighed, fisting his hands in the sleeves of his haori in frustration. He hated having to perform the parental role. Kagome was so much better at this sort of thing than he was. "Who else knows you both are mates?"

"Just Tsurugi," Tsukimisou answered quietly.

The hanyou eyed his niece curiously. "How'd he find out?"

The Inuyoukai girl's blush darkened and she shyly averted her eyes. "He…anno…sort of saw us while we were…you know."

Inuyasha looked over to Zetsuei. "Did you kick his ass for that?"

The Torayoukai's lips twitched with a grin. "Not yet. But I'm still considering it."

"He could use it," the hanyou replied. "The nosy bastard certainly earned it."

Tsukimisou laughed, nodding in agreement. Inuyasha sighed again and stretched out his arms and folded them behind his head, taking a few steps forward.

"You should get ready to leave tomorrow. We could be in the East for a while, so don't pack too light," he said after a moment.

Zetsuei nodded. "Hai, wakarimasu."

"See you in the morning. You two be good."

The hanyou walked off, leaving the pair behind. After a few seconds his footsteps faded away, leaving the hallway silent and empty once more.

x0x0x0x

Morning came far sooner than anyone had anticipated. The sun was not yet up, the sky still purple with night. Zetsuei awoke, smelling the approach of dawn in the air. He sat up in bed and glanced out the window. Beside him, he felt Tsukimisou stir.

"It's early," the Torayoukai murmured. "You should go back to sleep."

"And let you leave without saying goodbye?" she answered. "Never."

He turned to see her sitting up beside him, her hair lightly tousled from sleep and their activities a few hours earlier, a blanket pulled up to cover her bare chest. An appreciative purr rumbled in the Torayoukai's throat as he stared at her, earning him a smirk in response.

"You could always stay you know," Tsukimisiou teased, letting the blanket slip down an inch. "I wouldn't mind it if you did."

Zetsuei made a soft amused sound in his throat, lightly shaking his head at his mate. "You know that I would love to stay, especially given how completely enticing you look right now."

The Taisho girl laughed, her expression sobering after a moment. "But I know you can't."

"Iya, I can't." The Torayoukai echoed softly, rising from the futon and gathering his clothes from the floor.

Tsukimisou sighed, getting out of bed as well, tossing the blankets aside. She crossed the room to the bath, sliding the door open. She paused, turning to glance at him over her shoulder. "You coming?"

Zetsuei smirked, rushing over to hook an arm under the Inuyoukai girl's knees, lifting her off her feet, and moving quickly toward the bath.

"Mou, at this rate, you're never going to leave."

x0x0x0x

The morning sun was beating down as a Torayoukai flitted through the trees, rushing back to his homeland. His lord would be most interested to learn that of the Nekoyoukai messenger arrived in the West and the departure of Sesshoumaru and several others not long after, heading for the East. It was plain to see that the Neko no Taisho was scheming something with the taiyoukai of the West.

Noboru-sama would definitely want to know about this.

The scout ran faster; he was still several hours ahead of the party from the West. He had to make it back to his homeland before Sesshoumaru could set foot in the East.

x0x0x0x

"Report?" Noboru asked.

"A messenger arrived in the West yesterday," the scout began, struggling to catch his breath. "The messenger was sent by the Neko no Taisho."

"Oh?" the pseudo-Taisho said interestedly. "Go on."

"This morning, Sesshoumaru and a large party departed the West. They are heading to the East. The traitor, Zetsuei was among them."

Noboru scowled. '_So, your warning was serious after all, was it, Mizumi? Now you're seeking to overthrow me._' His expression darkened as a boiling rage consumed him for a moment before he battled it back, regaining his composure. '_I will not let you take my power from me. Zetsuei will _never_ see the throne._'

"Do you have any insight as to what this all means, my lord?" the scout inquired hesitantly. "What must be done?"

The Tora no Taisho took a slow, deep breath, grinning as an idea came to mind. "Yes, actually," he replied, his lips curving with amusement. "Mizumi has seen fit to take action against me. She has employed the aid of Sesshoumaru and his family in order to attack these lands and remove me from power. Their goal, undoubtedly, is to put the traitor on the throne."

"Remove you from power, my lord? That cannot be!"

"No. It cannot. Therefore, it would be most prudent to teach Sesshoumaru the price of aiding Mizumi,"

"What do you propose?"

"We will take from him that which he holds most dear. Perhaps then, it will persuade him to be a bit more…_compliant_."

"Orders, sir?"

"Inform the head of the stealth forces to arrange a party to travel to the West immediately. We're going to steal ourselves a woman."

"Understood."

x0x0x0x

Shippou sighed heavily, watching as Sesshoumaru, Hana, Inuyasha, and Kagome vanished from sight, Zetsuei, Tsurugi, Mei Lhi, and Kyo close behind. The kitsune turned away from the window, trying to shrug off his annoyance.

Rin sat a few feet away, sipping at some tea, glancing up at him in concern, her eyes asking an unvoiced question.

"You ever notice how we're always the ones left behind?" Shippou asked her. "We're always stuck here, without fail."

"Someone has to run the Western Lands. Chichiue is far too busy these days with all the conflict going on in the East. It's hard work trying to stabilize such a volatile area," she answered simply. "You know that."

"Yeah, I _do_ know that. But still! What do we do these days? We pretty much just sit here running your father's lands for him."

Rin smiled. "You sound like Inuyasha."

The kitsune rolled his eyes. "I only grew up with him. It's no wonder why."

The once-human-now-Inuyoukai set down her tea, laughing lightly at her mate. "Your annoyance aside, haven't you noticed that my father trusts _only_ us to handle the affairs of these lands? Not even Tsurugi has been given the opportunity to try to run things here, and by patrilineal succession, he's next in line to be Taisho. I would think that fact alone speaks volumes of Chichiue's level of trust in us."

Shippou frowned. "Well, you do have a point."

"Of course I do," Rin smirked. "Not even Tsukimisou has received any lessons on how to manage the affairs of state. And you and I _both_ know how precious she is to my father. Especially now that she's back in our lives again, after believing her dead for so long."

The kitsune sighed again. Rin was right. As usual.

"I think maybe one day Chichiue might just pass on the responsibility entirely to us."

"Yeah, one day two hundred years from now he might."

"I'm sure it won't be quite that long," Rin disagreed. "In any case, Tsurugi's nowhere near ready to be put in charge of something as important as running the West."

"This place'll go to hell if we put it in your younger brother's very incapable hands."

"Be nice, Shippou. Tsu wouldn't be completely incapable."

"Alright, he'd be a blundering idiot without a clue what he's doing until he gets lucky and finally figures it all out," the kitsune amended. "Better?"

Rin rolled her eyes, barely mastering the urge to smile in amusement. "Hardly."

"Now you're starting to sound like your father."

"Hmm…sou ka?" the Inuyoukai asked in her best imitation of Sesshoumaru.

Shippou laughed. "That sounded so much like him it was scary."

"You pick things up after being around certain people for prolonged periods of time, in this case, my father. I learned to imitate his voice and his mannerisms. It was a very useful skill when Jaken-sama started to annoy me too much. To this day, he _still_ hasn't figured out that all those times he thought he heard Chichiue reprimanding him was actually me."

"Baka kaeru," the kitsune muttered. "Then again, he's not all too bright if he was outsmarted by the pair of us when we were only kits; poking him with sticks and setting him on fire, crashing him into rocks and trees while hanging off Aun…" Shippou's eyes took on an almost hungry gleam for a moment before he sighed. "Ah, those were the days."

Rin smiled wistfully, remembering the games they both used to play when they were young, how they constantly tormented her father's retainer. The good old days, when life was carefree and innocent. Neither she, nor Shippou had to worry about things like war and treason or clashes between parts of the continent over power struggles.

'_If only life could be so easy again,_' she thought.

x0x0x0x

"Come on! We must hurry!" Hana called over her shoulder to the others running behind her.

Sesshoumaru ran along beside her, keeping pace with ease. Close behind were Inuyasha, carrying Kagome on his back, and Zetsuei, running alongside them, with Tsurugi lagging behind. Above them, Kyo was in dragon form, Mei Lhi riding on his back.

"Kyo says we're only about halfway there!" the hanyou woman yelled down to the others. "It'll be after dark by the time we arrive if we keep this pace!"

"Not good enough!" Inuyasha shouted. "We need to move faster!" The hanyou turned to glance behind him, seeing his nephew trailing after them by several feet. "Oi, Tsurugi! Get that pansy ass moving before we leave you behind!"

Tsurugi growled irritably, unaware of the sharp glare his father sent in his uncle's direction, and pushed himself to run faster, managing to match Zetsuei's pace.

They had been running all morning and the Taisho heir was exhausted. It became clear to him now that his parents and the rest of their companions were far more accustomed to running around all over Japan than he was. The others had been doing it for many years now, long before Tsurugi had ever been born. This sort of thing was practically second nature to them.

Suddenly, Zetsuei's head whipped to the left and he came to a stop.

"What is it?" the Taisho heir asked curiously, stopping beside the Torayoukai.

"I thought I just smelled other Torayoukai heading in the direction we just came," he answered.

"Torayoukai? That's impossible. We're still too far west for them to be out this way."

Zetsuei gave a stiff nod, trying to brush off a sudden feeling of unease. "Hm, you're probably right. It must be nothing."

'_But still…I can't shake this feeling. Something's wrong. I just don't know what yet._'

x0x0x0x

"That was close." a Torayoukai muttered.

"Too close." another agreed.

"Do you think we'll manage to make it to the West undetected, Souzen?" the first asked.

"As long as we follow Noboru-sama's exact instructions, everything will go according to plan. Do not fret. We are the best of the stealth forces. If Noboru-sama did not have faith in our success at this mission, he would not have sent us," Souzen replied.

The rest of the Torayoukai, a company of eight, all nodded in understanding, renewed resolve burning in each of their eyes.

Souzen turned to look at them all, smirking. "Now then, forward! If we keep this pace, we will reach the West before Sesshoumaru and his companions can cross the East boundary line,"

"Hai!" they all chorused.

The nine of them continued to run west, feeling a rush of excitement and adrenaline coursing through their veins as the walls of the palace of the West arose in the near distance. Spurred on by their own anticipation to complete the job they had been tasked with, the Torayoukai stealth group pressed on, increasing their pace.

Each of them lunged skyward, swords singing from their scabbards, as they reached the east-facing wall of the palace. The guards posted on the wall were dead before they hit the ground. All nine Torayoukai leapt down from the wall, running across the courtyard. Their target was here, somewhere close by.

More guards seemed to have realized there were intruders and rushed toward the invaders, only to be cut down one by one, their enemies moving faster than their eyes could track. The few that managed to escape ran to raise the alarm, sending the Western Lands into chaos.

"So much for getting in undetected." one of the Torayoukai murmured.

"We may as well make this attack well-worth it," Souzen said. "Gentlemen, let's raise a little hell."

x0x0x0x

"Shippou-sama!" a guard yelled.

The kitsune looked up, turning away from one of the courtyard-facing windows. "The alarm's been raised. What's happened?"

"A nine-man squad of Torayoukai have attacked. They've taken out many of our men already. They're fast, faster than anything we've seen before,"

"Fast like someone with stealth training? Like Zetsuei?"

"Hai, exactly!"

"Shit," Shippou muttered. "What was their last known position? We need to secure the castle immediately."

"They've just breached the east court and the servant's quarters. They're looking for something, milord."

"Any idea as to who or what that might be?"

"None, sir."

"Concentrate on trying to stop them, no matter what it takes."

"But they're so fast! We cannot hope to fight against something we can barely see!"

"They may be faster than you and their movements difficult to read, but I have faith in you. Trust your instincts; it'll help make up for the disadvantage we have against them. Inform the men of this."

The guard nodded and rushed off. Shippou stepped quickly out of the room, reaching into his haori, withdrawing a handful of green leaves, his brow creasing worriedly before tucking them back into place.

'_It's not enough, but it'll have to do. I need to stop them._'

He ran down the halls, following the scent of blood and death in the air, picking up a katana from one of the felled guardsmen, and entered the fray.

A Torayoukai spotted him, raising his blade against him. The swords clanged together again and again as they blocked strike after strike. Shippou raised his free hand, throwing a ball of kitsune bi in the Torayoukai's direction, momentarily blinding the youkai, giving the kitsune the opening he needed. He knocked his opponent's weapon from his hands and cut him down in a single pass, leaving the Torayoukai to bleed on the floor.

Suddenly, screams rang out from the women's quarters. One of the voices was unmistakable.

"RIN!"

x0x0x0x

A poison whip crackling with purifying energy shot out, yanking back one of the Torayoukai about to lunge at Rin.

"Onee-san!" Tsukimisou called. "Daijoubu ka?"

"Hai!" Rin answered, rushing over to her sister. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. But these Torayoukai, they're like Zetsuei-kun. Which means only _one_ person could have sent them,"

"Noboru?"

"Sou desu," the youngest Taisho daughter affirmed. "Now come on, we have to get out of here. It isn't safe. We'll probably have to fight our way out, if we want to have any chance of escaping. I don't know how many of them there are."

Rin nodded, clenching a hand into a fist and flexing the claws on the other. Tsukimisou grinned and together, the two sisters broke into a run, only to find themselves cornered by four of the Torayoukai waiting for them at the opposite end of the corridor.

"I'll take the two on the left," the elder sister said.

"That leaves the two on the right for me," said the younger.

The Torayoukai rushed forward, both Taisho daughters meeting them head on. A blade sailed over Tsukimisou's head as she twisted out of the way, much to her opponent's surprise. Rin's claws tore through the side of one of the other youkai, wounding him.

"Bitch!" he roared, lashing out to strike her.

Rin was knocked aside, taking a blow to the face. Tsukimisou whirled around, preparing to attack, when the courtyard doors were sliced open, an auburn-colored blur dashing into the newly-made opening. Shippou stood between Rin and the other Torayoukai, raising his sword defensively.

"Touch her again, and it'll be the last thing you ever do," the kitsune growled.

The Torayoukai hissed with laughter, as if the fox had just told a particularly funny joke.

"Tsukimisou, is Rin alright?" Shippou asked, keeping his eyes trained on the intruders.

"Hai, she's fine, just a little dazed from the hit," she replied.

"Both of you need to get out of here. I'll hold these four off. Take Rin and go!"

Tsukimisou moved to help her elder sister, supporting her weight on her shoulders, and began to run for the opposite end of the hallway that they had just came. The Taisho heiress didn't get far.

More Torayoukai emerged from side doors or broke through walls, sneering at the two Inuyoukai women, drawing out the moment before they each lunged and attacked. Tsukimisou turned to look behind her, only to find Shippou busy fighting off the other youkai. She turned back, swallowing nervously.

"Rin," she whispered, digging an elbow into her sister's side as she backstepped away from the predatory youkai. "Rin, come on! Focus, I need you."

The older girl gave a groan, blinking her eyes several times and snapping back into awareness. The Torayoukai lunged; Tsukimisou shoved Rin away from her, her hands sparking with miko energy.

"Take another step and I'll purify you!" she shouted.

"Tsuki-chan, are you out of your mind?" Rin exclaimed.

Behind them, Shippou cried out in pain, one of the Torayoukai's blades managing to stab him in the shoulder. He staggered as blood streamed out of the open wound, his grip on his sword loosening.

Taking advantage of this moment of weakness, the Torayoukai prepared to deliver the finishing blow. Shippou saw the katana poised to cut off his head, knowing he'd never manage to parry it in time.

Rin's instincts were screaming that her mate was in danger, and suddenly she was running faster than she'd ever moved in her life. In an instant, she was standing between the youkai and Shippou defensively.

"Do _not_ harm the female!" one of the Torayoukai growled. "Noboru-sama wants them both alive!"

Shippou glared at the youkai, firming his grip on his sword, and moved to push Rin behind him.

"So that's what he's after, is it?" he demanded. "You're not taking Rin!"

The Torayoukai smiled. "Is that so? Well then, I suppose one is better than none."

"What are you talking about?" Shippou snapped.

Behind him, Tsukimisou screamed, the miko energy fading from her palms as one of her attackers got in a lucky blow, knocking her unconscious, and proceeded to hoist the Taisho heiress onto their shoulder. The Torayoukai was covered in burns; two of his companions beside him were also in similar condition, while the fourth had fallen to the floor, unmoving. The youkai stepped over their motionless comrade, unconcerned about leaving him behind.

"Souzen!" Tsukimisou's captor yelled. "We're ready!"

The Torayoukai standing before Shippou, the one called Souzen, laughed and vanished from view, reappearing beside the rest of his men. With a victorious smirk, the Torayoukai and the rest of his stealth forces disappeared, fleeing toward the East, their captive in tow.

Shippou started after them, knowing it was in vain, for they were already long gone. He abruptly came to a halt just as a half dozen castle guards flooded the hallway somewhere a few feet away. Rin stood beside him, feeling her knees give beneath her. Immediately, Shippou's arm was around her, holding her up.

"It's happened again," she whispered. "Chichiue, forgive me."

The kitsune embraced her tightly, kissing the top of her head. "Don't blame yourself, Rin," he said soothingly. "We'll find her. I promise," he turned his head to glance at the guards behind, gesturing with his free arm toward the fallen youkai lying on the floor. "If that one's still alive, tie him up and search him for weapons. Maybe we can get some answers out of him."

x0x0x0x

Miles away, Zetsuei felt his blood run cold.

"Tsukimisou!"

* * *

**A/N:** And that's a wrap! I got a little carried away with writing this chapter. Haha. Anyway, sorry for the delay, as usual. But hopefully this is a good present for you all for the New Year. I blame spending three days straight reading a really good IY fanfic for my sudden interest in working on my own fanfic. So yay for fanficiton! It makes me write things! I'm actually about to start writing Ch. 29 because I honestly want to know what happens next now. _I'm_ on edge from this cliffhanger! I've been writing for two hours straight this morning and I haven't had breakfast, so I'm just running on a big cup of coffee. And now, I will begin work on the next chapter. Hopefully the next update will come soon! Stay tuned everyone! Rate, review, whatever! Leave spam, hate—well, not so much hate—and comments. Ja ne until next time!

_Updated Author's Note, March 21, 2012:_ Sorry for taking so long to post this. School's been really hectic since the Winter Quarter began, but I just finished my finals and I've finally recovered enough sleep and energy to actually go through the process of posting this now. Hopefully Ch. 29 won't have as much of a delay between finishing and posting the chapter. But I can make no guarantees. It all depends on how much schoolwork they plan to give me at the university. The Spring Quarter starts in less than two weeks, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. However, I will say that Ch. 29 is complete (and has been for quite some time) and Ch. 30 is in the process of being written, I've just been holding off sending it to my beta since I've been so busy with school. Anyway, thank you all for your patience, everyone.


	29. Stolen

**A/N**: We're back! Moving quickly along here, let's have Tsurugi do the disclaimer!

Tsurugi: Aki-san doesn't own Inuyasha. It is the rightful property of Takahashi Rumiko. All other things that she's alluded to, mentioned, referenced, drawn from, or incorporated into this story are the property of their owners. Attempting to accuse the author of plagiarism will be a foolish idea, as this here states that she owns nothing but the characters she created and the plot. Without further delay and this matter handled, I present Chapter Twenty-Nine.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Stolen

"Nani?" Sesshoumaru questioned, coming to a stop, the others pausing mid-stride and standing beside him. "What did you just say?"

Zetsuei muttered a curse under his breath. It would be hard for him to explain his way out of this situation. Not without mentioning the mark. He sighed, meeting the taiyoukai's penetrating stare, hoping his expression didn't look too guilty.

"Your daughter is in danger," he said.

"How do you know this?"

"I…I just do. I had a feeling."

Sesshoumaru arched a brow curiously at the Torayoukai, still not convinced by his explanation. As if on cue, Kyo and Mei Lhi suddenly descended from the sky. The kaze ryuu reappeared in his human form, an ear cocked upward as if listening for something far away.

A breeze stirred the trees before suddenly coming to a stop. Kyo's eyes widened momentarily, turning to look at both Zetsuei and Sesshoumaru.

"He's right," he announced. "Something's happened in the West. We're too far away for me to determine exactly what, but I imagine we'll find out soon. Shippou and Rin are flying to the East to meet us."

The taiyoukai nodded, turning back to address the young Torayoukai. "You and I will speak later," he glanced around at the others. "We must keep moving. Mizumi is expecting us."

Then, everyone was running once again. The East was only another hour away. Sooner, if they could manage it. Trees flew past, their surrounding turning into a blur as they continued to run.

Within a matter of minutes, the gates of the Eastern Lands came into view: gleaming gold, emblazoned with the fiery image of a Nekoyoukai in its true form. Sesshoumaru slowed his pace, coming to a halt before the doors.

"State your business!" a guard shouted.

"We received a summons from your Taisho. We have come upon her invitation," the taiyoukai answered simply.

The gates began to open, a servant waiting on the other side to receive them.

"Mizumi-sama has been expecting you. Please, follow me."

x0x0x0x

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Mizumi said, rising from her throne to greet her guests. "To be honest, I wasn't expecting you all until tomorrow, but I suppose your early arrival works more in our favor. We have time, plenty of time, to plan things out."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I must inform you, before we begin our preparations, my daughter and son-in-law will be joining us shortly. It seems during the journey here, my home was attacked. I suspect Noboru may have made his first move against me, and in doing so, has proved how foolish of a ruler he is when he is well-aware of what my reaction will be."

The Neko no Taisho gave a nod. "I see. I will inform my guards at the gate to let them in when they arrive," she paused. "Though, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Noboru has taken measures against you. I daresay he's taken more than enough against me."

"Has he made other attempts?"

"He's executed at least thirty young boys. I wake in the morning to find their heads at my door."

"What?" the others shouted in alarm.

"It's why I called you here. I cannot stand idly by while that bastard slaughters innocent children."

"He has to be stopped," Tsurugi agreed. "And he will be, now that we've got Zetsuei."

Mizumi blinked. "Oh?" She turned to look at the Torayoukai, peering at him curiously. "Oh!" she exclaimed, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. "I don't know why I never saw it before. You do look quite a bit like Zenjiro-sama. I've seen portraits in the Neko clan's archives."

The Torayoukai shrugged indifferently, barely listening to the conversation. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, trying to ignore the feeling of his skin crawling. His instincts were telling him something was terribly wrong. Emotions ran rampant within him as he struggled to contain them all. He tried to go over the myriad of emotions he had felt through Tsukimisou's mark in his mind, hoping to gather some clues as to what might have happened.

He knew the West had been attacked. The first thing he had felt was anxiety. She had been nervous about something. Then there was anger, followed by panic and the desperation to survive. And finally, fear. And then…nothing. Her presence was subdued, but not gone. It was the only comfort Zetsuei had. It meant that she was still alive and hopefully, still alright.

"What are your thoughts on all this, Zetsuei? Seeing as this affects you the most," Mizumi asked suddenly.

The Torayoukai's head shot up at the sound of his name. He'd tuned out the others without even realizing it, too consumed by his own thoughts. There was no way he could pretend that he was coherent enough to entertain this conversation. His nerves were on frayed and on edge.

"I think," he started slowly. "I need some air."

Without another word, he left the Neko clan throne room, running through the halls until he reached the doors leading outside, taking deep lungfuls of the cold air, trying to calm himself down. He looked to the sky, dark now, and twinkling with stars, seeing a shadow against the moon.

A gust of an evening breeze brought the scent of blood, kitsune, and Inuyoukai. Shippou and Rin had arrived, riding on Aun's back, descending quickly. They touched down just outside the wall, entering through the gates. The kitsune was bleeding through a hastily-made bandage, Rin was beside him, her face bruised, holding onto her mate's uninjured arm.

"Stay here," Shippou told the small ryuuyoukai.

Aun bowed its heads and settled itself onto a soft patch of grass, lying down to sleep. The kitsune spotted the young Torayoukai standing outside, walking towards him.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

"Inside," Zetsuei answered simply. "Come."

The Torayoukai turned away, heading back in, Shippou and Rin's footsteps close behind him, along with the steady _drip, drip_ of the kitsune's blood. The three of them retraced Zetsuei's previous steps, reentering the throne room, to many cries of alarm.

A simultaneous shout of "Shippou!" and "Rin!" rang out from Inuyasha, Kagome, Sesshoumaru, and Hana. The four approached them, each wearing expressions of various degrees of alarm and worry.

"What happened?" Sesshoumaru asked immediately.

"We were attacked, Chichiue," Rin answered. "Noboru's men."

"Torayoukai stealth forces, to be precise," Shippou added. "Which explains why we weren't able to detect them well after they were already inside the wall and several of the palace guards were dead."

"So it was Noboru's doing after all?"

Both nodded. Rin glanced at her father, biting her lip and trying to hold back tears. Sesshoumaru met her eyes, his brows narrowing minutely. The taiyoukai knew that look in her eyes better than anyone.

"What is it, Rin?" he asked. "What are you so afraid of telling me?"

"They…they took Tsuki-chan!" she cried out before the words suddenly began tumbling out of her in a rush. "We were all together in the hall, trying to fight them off, but there were so many! Shippou-kun was already fighting four of them and then he got hurt—they were going to kill him! I had to protect him! I had left Tsuki-chan by herself at the other end of the hall—she was doing fine on her own, using her miko powers to hold them off. I thought-I thought I'd be able to get back over to her in time, but then they got her! By the time we realized what they'd done, they were gone!"

'_She's gone. I knew it. I _knew_ something was wrong. God damn it!_' Zetsuei thought furiously, using all of his self-control to keep himself from lashing out.

"Noboru's targets were Rin and Tsukimisou," Shippou said. "One of Torayoukai, the one who was in charge, Souzen, he said that he had orders from Noboru to capture them both."

"No, no," Hana whispered. "Not again…not my girls. My Tsuki-chan."

Sesshoumaru placed a comforting hand on his mate's shoulder, just barely in control of his own emotions. "We will find her, Hana-chan. I promise," he paused, drawing his free hand into a tightly clenched fist. "I assure you, if she has been harmed, Noboru will be made to pay for what he's done. There will not be enough words to describe the suffering I'll have him endure for this."

Nearby, Mizumi sighed. "I know this is a very difficult time for you all," she started. "But Noboru might as well have signed an official declaration of war. He invaded your homeland and took Tsukimisou captive. Speaking as Neko no Taisho, ally to the West, and friend to Tsukimisou, the Neko clan's peace with the Tora is over. We must prepare for battle immediately."

Slowly, everyone began to nod in agreement.

"But first, we should at least get Shippou and Rin some medical attention," the Neko no Taisho turned to look over her shoulder. "Mamoru-san! Some help, please?"

The royal physician entered the room from a hidden side door, approaching the kitsune and his mate, a large pack slung over his shoulder, filled with medical supplies.

"Treat Rin first," Shippou grunted. "I'm fine."

"Keh! You're bleeding half to death!" Inuyasha scoffed. "Were you bleeding the whole way?"

"Most of it, I think," the kitsune shrugged. "I wasn't really paying attention to be honest."

"Treat him first," the hanyou said to the physician. "Before he passes out."

"I said I'm _fine_!"

"No you aren't!" Rin snapped at him. "Inuyasha's right. _I_ can wait. And you could've waited too, while I bandaged you up the first time. But you wanted to leave right away before I could finish it properly!"

Shippou sighed with resignation. "Fine. Me first."

Mamoru reached into his pack for a clay jar as Shippou shrugged out of his haori and inner robe, revealing a large oozing gash.

"You were very lucky, Shippou-sama," the royal physician commented. "You were stabbed with the blade flat, so the wound is horizontal. Had the blade been the right way up, it likely would have pierced your heart, and you would not be here."

"I learned how to use a sword from the best," the kitsune said slowly, as a smug Inuyasha prepared to gloat. "Sesshoumaru," he said, giving his father-in-law a gracious nod, ignoring his adoptive father spluttering in disbelief a few feet away. "I guess all that training you put me through finally paid off and saved my life."

Mamoru nodded. "Indeed. Regardless, the wound is deep and fairly serious," he uncorked the clay jar, pouring its contents onto Shippou's shoulder.

"Son of a bitch!" the kitsune yelled, flinching away. "The hell is that?"

Kagome shot a withering stare at her adopted son. "Language!" she scolded.

"Sorry," the kitsune mumbled. "It really _did_ hurt!"

"Sake, to clean the wound, of course," the doctor stated matter-of-factly, unaware of the brief exchange between the miko and kitsune, as he re-corked the jar, placing it back in his pack and pulling out salve and bandages.

The royal physician began dressing the wound, making a kind of sling with spare bandages that effectively immobilized Shippou's arm.

"No activity with that arm I've just bound until the shoulder wound is healed, Shippou-sama, at least not for a few days, a week at most. Any sort of movement could aggravate the injury and only cause it to reopen. Understood?"

The kitsune sighed, nodding. The Nekoyoukai doctor then turned to Rin, looking her over.

"The bruising on your face should heal in a few hours," he said, probing her cheek gently with a fingertip.

"Ouch," she murmured.

"How hard were you hit, Rin-sama?"

"Anno…I was knocked down and dazed and confused for quite some time."

"Hmm. There may be small fractures, do be careful. The bones, if broken, will mend themselves in due time on their own with your youkai healing. In the meantime, I can put some salve on the defensive wounds on your arms and hands."

"Oh, arigatou."

"You're welcome, dear lady," Mamoru said, bowing low and leaving the throne room.

Mizumi looked around at everyone, seeming satisfied that her newest guests were well-tended to.

"Minna-san, let's move into the conference chamber, so we can begin preparations," she said quietly.

The others nodded, waiting for the Neko no Taisho to lead them. She exited through a side door, the others filing after her, entering a modest-sized room that consisted of a large low table and a dozen cushions to sit upon. One by one, each took a seat until the table was nearly full. Mizumi summoned one of her maids to serve food and drink for the guests, the table laden with various dishes minutes later.

"So, where shall we begin?" the Nekoyoukai asked after swallowing a mouthful of fresh tea, setting the small china cup onto the table.

"The ones I've brought to accompany me here were all generals in the recent battle that took place in Nagashino," Sesshoumaru began. "We will need a strong army to go up against the forces Noboru will amass against us."

"I agree," Kyo said.

"My armies can be ready at a moment's notice," Mizumi said, taking another sip of tea. "How long will it take for you to move troops over here?"

"That depends on exactly how large you wish my contribution of military forces to be," the taiyoukai replied.

The Neko no Taisho glanced over at Zetsuei. "How large is Noboru's army?"

"He keeps a standard regiment of two hundred," the Torayoukai answered after a moment, seemingly trying to repress a shudder completely unrelated to the subject matter of the conversation. "But if need be, he can have that number doubled with some 'volunteers.'"

"We'll need at least five hundred, just to be safe, then."

"We can give you half," Hana said. "And perhaps spare a little more, providing the number of casualties in the West aren't too impacting."

Shippou shook his head. "The invading Torayoukai weren't concerned with killing off as many of us as they could. They just wanted to make a clean, quick getaway. They killed only the ones in their path."

"The number of casualties is less than forty, perhaps even less than thirty. We didn't stay long enough for an exact figure." Rin added.

Mizumi nodded. "Then I'll take whatever you can give me. As for the rest of our forces, I can supply them. I have more than enough soldiers," she broke off, smirking. "It's amazing how many people will volunteer to join the army when someone else is elected Taisho. Hardly anyone wished to support my father when he was in charge of the clan."

"I guess they just like you better," Tsurugi commented.

"So it would seem."

Zetsuei tuned out the others once more, trying to battle back a crushing wave of panic that threatened to overwhelm him. He could feel Tsukimisou's emotions again; her presence was strong once more, no longer subdued as it had been earlier. She was scared but at the same time, trying to remain calm. Her fear became his own; his hands curled into fists, the knuckles turning white.

He had to be calm. He had to be strong for her. If he allowed himself to fear, she'd feel it too. And the last thing Tsukimisou needed, he knew, wasn't more terror. She needed his strength.

The Torayoukai took a deep breath, pressing his fingertips against the mark at the base of his neck. Tsukimisou sensed him immediately. He registered her momentary surprise, feeling as it faded into relief, joy, and comfort all at once.

'_I'm here, Tsukimisou. I'm here for you, koishii._'

He knew there was no way for her to hear his thoughts, but somehow, deep down, the words had managed to reach her, as her presence was soothed. He sighed with relief. As long as he could do this much for her, he knew she would be alright.

Slowly, he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, worn out from the emotional turmoil he had been enduring for most of the day and the long journey to Mizumi's palace from the West. The muted din of the voices of his companions became a dull drone, serving to only lull him further to sleep.

Tsukimisou's presence enveloped him, and then, he was lost.

x0x0x0x

The Torayoukai stealth forces had finally made it back to their homelands, thankful that their captive had not attempted to struggle when she finally awoke. The girl's purifying power packed quite a punch.

"Finally made it," one of the Torayoukai said.

"Thank Kami-sama," another murmured. "So, what's the plan, Souzen?"

"We deliver the girl to Noboru-sama," Souzen answered. "I'm sure she'll make a fine present for our lord."

The men laughed.

"Well, she is really pretty," the first started. "Think Noboru-sama will be generous and share?"

x0x0x0x

Tsukimisou was roughly thrown to the floor, a startled cry leaving her lips. A slow applause met her ears. Slowly, she righted herself raised her head, seeing Noboru seated on the throne raised several steps above the ground, an amused smirk curving his lips.

"Well done, Souzen," the pseudo-Taisho said, lowering his hands back onto the armrests of the throne.

"This bitch was a handful," Souzen responded, pulling off long dark gloves, exposing burned skin. "She has her mother's miko power."

"Oh? How interesting," he said, pausing a moment to think. "When I heard you had managed to catch only one, I was prepared to be disappointed," Noboru began. "But I must confess, I am pleasantly surprised. You managed to capture the more valuable of the two daughters, which I can see, was not at all a simple task."

Souzen shook his head. "It took four of us all at once to subdue her. She's very evasive, light on her feet, and packs one hell of a punch for such a tiny girl!"

Noboru grinned, glancing at his feet. "You were a dancer of some sort, weren't you Tsukimisou?"

The Taishou heiress glared at him but did not answer.

"I asked you a question, Tsukimisou. It's only proper manners to answer when one of your superiors addresses you."

Tsukimisou's expression lightened at the thought of the retort that just came to mind and smiled at the pseudo-Taisho. "When I see a superior, I will be sure to answer him."

The Tora no Taisho gave her a look of pure loathing and behind her, Souzen roared with outrage.

"How _dare_ you disrespect Noboru-sama!"

"Bitch!" Noboru growled. "I am Taisho of these lands! This is _my_ domain!"

"For now," the Inuyoukai girl said.

"What?"

"This land is yours and you are the one who bears the title of ruler here, _for now_," she clarified. "But that will soon change and you know it."

Much to Tsukimisou's surprise, Noboru started laughing. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him, her expression a mixture of irritation and confusion.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"You really think that your father and Mizumi can overthrow me? Honestly, woman, why do you think I brought you here?" the pseudo-Taisho questioned, still laughing.

"I'm your bargaining chip, of course," the girl answered coldly. "I'm not stupid, just because I'm a woman. You wish to use me as leverage in order to manipulate my father's actions," she paused. "I must warn you, it won't work. My father knows full well what needs to be done. He also knows that if he cooperates with your wishes, once you've achieved your means to an end, I will be disposed of, for at that point, I would be of no value to you. The only way for him to get me back safely is to continue to oppose you. I'll see him again when his armies breach the Tora lands' walls and he comes to personally rip you apart."

"You have a lot of faith in your father."

"Of course I do. Because I know he'll win."

"That's what you think, dear girl. Your blind faith will be your undoing."

"As it will be yours. You believe that you'll always have dominion here, you'll always have power. But once you're defeated and Zetsuei takes the throne—"

Noboru rose from his throne incensed, moving faster than the blink of an eye, backhanding the Taisho heiress across the face forcefully, his expression enraged.

"—don't _ever_ speak that name in my house!" he roared.

The blow had sent Tsukimisou back down to the floor. She had barely managed to catch herself with her hands, pushing herself back up again, glaring up at the pseudo-Taisho, a cold fury burning in her eyes.

Noboru towered above her, his eyes boring into hers. "You will learn to mind your attitude while in this house. That includes knowing when to hold your tongue. Failure to do so will result in consequences. Do we have an understanding?"

Tsukimisou continued to glare at him, biting her lip to resist making another retort.

The Tora no Taisho noticed her struggle, smirking. "There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" he taunted. "You're learning already," he then turned to the head of his stealth forces. "Souzen, be sure that our guest is made comfortable, but not so comfortable that she'd be readily able to escape."

Souzen nodded. "Yes, milord."

The Torayoukai then reached down for Tsukimisou's arm, his hand holding her in an iron grip as he prepared to lead her away. Noboru continued to smirk at her, watching as she was being steered out of the room.

"Oh, and Tsukimisou?" he prompted, just as she was about to step out the door. "Enjoy your stay in the East."

She turned to growl at the Tora no Taisho, knowing that the next words she planned to say were unbefitting of a lady and would also fuel Noboru's rage. Whatever consequence she would endure for this, would be completely worth it. She met his eyes, the trademark coldness in her expression that so resembled her father's.

"Go fuck yourself."

Tsukimisou had all of one glorious second to smirk triumphantly at the stunned Noboru before she tasted blood in her mouth and everything went black.

x0x0x0x

Zetsuei's eyes snapped open, his hand withdrawing from the mark at his neck to massage his jaw, feeling Tsukimisou's pain as if it were his own. Her presence had faded again. Whatever Noboru had done to her knocked her unconscious.

He could feel her quite distinctly while asleep. From what he had managed to feel and sense through her, he knew that she was here, in the East, with Noboru. He also knew that his uncle had harmed her. The very thought that Tsukimisou was hurt and it was by Noboru's hand, infuriated him to no end.

Breathing deeply, he willed himself back into reluctant calm, consciously making an effort to focus on the others, still deep in conversation, in hopes of having a distraction from the rage threatening to claw its way out of him. He forced himself to listen, catching the tail end of a rather lengthy speech Sesshoumaru was making.

"—and when everything is prepared, where shall the final battle be staged?" the taiyoukai asked.

"There is a place twenty miles from here, a wide field that is an unclaimed land. No youkai clan has any ownership over it. It is situated between the outer borders of both Neko and Tora lands, a perfectly free zone for us to stage a confrontation that will give us a clear path further east so that we can get Zetsuei onto the throne," Mizumi answered.

"And the armies?" Hana inquired. "Where shall we send them, once they've been readied?"

"Have your forces march here. Our armies will go to the battlefield together and we'll set up a war camp there, once everything is prepared."

The miko-youkai nodded, looking to Shippou. "Will you be returning home with Rin tonight?"

"Hai," the kitsune replied. "We'll ready the armies in your stead and have them mobilized and heading here as soon as possible."

"Good."

"And Tsukimisou-chan?" Kagome asked tentatively.

"We'll put our best trackers on the trail—" Shippou started.

"—don't bother," Zetsuei hissed suddenly, unable to maintain his silence anymore.

The others all turned to look at him, several brows furrowing with confusion, waiting for him to go on.

"I know where she is," the Torayoukai said. "You don't need trackers."

"Where…?"

"With Noboru. He has her."

Sesshoumaru sighed, figuring out the Tora no Taisho's plan. "Sou ka," he murmured. "Noboru hopes to force my hand and coerce me into backing down for Tsukimisou's sake," he glanced up at everyone around the table, his golden eyes shifting from one face to the next, studying them all intently. "How shall we proceed?"

"Nee-chan is strong enough to hold her own," Tsurugi said. "And she knows that we won't give up on taking that bastard down. Hell, she wants Noboru off the Tora clan throne just as badly as any of us! We stick to the plan, end of story."

The taiyoukai nodded. "Does anyone object to going forward?"

Nobody said anything.

"Then we are in agreement to proceed?"

"Hai," all but Zetsuei answered.

Sesshoumaru noticed the Torayoukai's lack of response, eyeing him with interest. "Do you have an objection to make?"

The Torayoukai had his arms crossed tight over his chest again, his posture was tense, and barely-restrained anger burned in his eyes. He looked from face to face, each turned in his direction, waiting for him to speak.

"Not an objection," he said finally. "But a concern."

"Oh?"

"What about Tsukimisou's safety while she's held captive?"

"If she's meant to be leverage, Noboru won't hurt her until he either gets what he wants or he realizes that he won't get it through coercion," Mizumi said.

Zetsuei glared at her. "Shows how much you know," he growled. "You don't know him! You think he cares about Tsukimisou?"

The Neko no Taisho frowned. "You're being unusually defensive about all this."

"With damn good reason!"

Sesshoumaru blinked, comprehension alight in his eyes. "Hm."

The Torayoukai met the taiyoukai's eyes and could practically see the gears turning in his mind. Zetsuei muttered a curse under his breath; Sesshoumaru knew.

Everyone glanced between the two anxiously, trying to figure out what exactly was taking place in their staring match. Finally, Sesshoumaru shifted, setting each elbow on the table, interlacing his fingers.

"How long ago?" he asked.

"Three days," Zetsuei answered.

"Before or after you found out about your lineage?"

"Does it matter?"

"Answer the question."

"After."

"I see," he paused. "Has she been harmed?"

"Yes."

"To what extent?"

"She's unconscious. I imagine she looks a bit like her sister right now."

"How long do we have until Noboru decides to find other ways to amuse himself?"

"A week, normally. Sometimes less. But if these battle plans prove to be distraction enough, it might be possible to stretch it out to two."

"Then we mustn't waste any time."

"Will somebody _please_ tell me what the hell is going on?" Inuyasha demanded with frustration evident in his voice, tired of the back and forth exchange between his half-brother and the Torayoukai.

Sesshoumaru turned to look at the hanyou, exhaling a barely unnoticeable sigh.

"Tsukimisou has less than two weeks to live."

* * *

**A/N:** The story's really picking up now, isn't it? I'm so excited I can't stop writing it, actually. My beta reader's probably going to kill me for the amount of chapters that are going to be coming into his inbox. So far, this makes number 2. And probably three once the weekend is over. So I don't know exactly when this chapter or the previous one (which I finished yesterday) will be posted, but today is January 6, 2012, so now you all know how long ago it was that I finished it. And now you also know that I finished this chapter in a day. (Actually, now I also know—I just checked my sent mail to see how long ago it was I mailed off Ch. 28 to my beta reader. I'M SHOCKED!) Good god, I'm ON FIRE. Well then, not wanting to lose my steam, let's keep the ball rolling and I'll keep cranking out chapters. Ja ne until next time! xD

_Updated A/N (7.31.2012):_ Hi, it's July. Don't kill me, please! Ch. 30 is almost done, despite the fact that yesterday I more or less had 2 lines to go before I finished it on a separate computer, saved it to a USB drive, then when I reconnected it, discovered that the file was corrupt and unable to open. I managed to recover 85-90 percent of what I wrote yesterday, so at this point, I will take what I can get. Because I very nearly flew into a full-fledged youkai rage when the word document continued to give me error messages. Thank god for corrupt file recovery applications. Anyway, the minute I finish reformatting what the recovery app salvaged and rewriting the last couple paragraphs I lost, it's going off to the beta. I really do apologize for the delays, but hey, give me some credit here. It's only been a little over 4 months since the last update! Here's to hoping I get Ch. 30 posted before the end of this year. Thank you all for your patience, everyone. Rate, review, yell, flame, whatever you like. Okay, maybe not flame, but you get the idea. Ja, until next time!


	30. The Long March

**A/N:** Another chapter. And it's still January 6th. Holy crap. Well then, to do the disclaimer today, I choose uhh…Sesshoumaru. Because, thanks to him, he gave us a ridiculous cliffhanger last chapter. Take it away, Fluffy!

Sesshoumaru: Call me by that nickname again and there will be consequences.  
Me: Just get on with the disclaimer please.  
Sesshoumaru: Very well. Aki does not own the series named after my idiot brother, Inuyasha. It belongs to our creator, Takahashi Rumiko, and any works that have been alluded to, referenced, etcetera are all the rightful property of their respective owners. Aki owns only the plot and her original characters. Any attempt at legal action against her would be foolish. She owns what belongs to her and nothing more. With that matter addressed, I present chapter thirty.

* * *

Chapter Thirty: The Long March

To describe everyone's reaction to Sesshoumaru's words as 'stunned' would be an understatement. Mizumi had gone completely rigid; her tail had gone stiff, the fur standing on end, and the neko ears atop her head had flattened back against her skull. Hana was alternating between staring disbelievingly at her mate and in confusion at Zetsuei, trying to make some semblance of sense out of all this. All the color had drained from Tsurugi's face from the effort of trying to come to terms that in less than a fortnight his sister could very well be dead. Mei Lhi was frozen, still trying to process the words, too shocked to completely register them. Kyo was silent, his mind racing a million miles a minute, hoping to find some way to logically think his way out of this. Rin looked horrified, her hands clasped over her mouth and she was slowly rocking herself back and forth in an effort to self-soothe. Shippou's eyes were wide with a mixture of worry and fear, gritting his teeth together to remain calm. Kagome had no words; she simply reached over to tightly clasp Hana's hand, seeking comfort in a friend. Inuyasha was tense, a low growl rumbling in his throat, choosing to turn his shock into anger in order to keep hold of his senses.

There was a long tense moment of silence as one by one, each of them overcame their shock, finally comprehending what had been said in the taiyoukai's brief exchange with the Tora clain heir.

"Wait a minute," Kagome started, looking to her brother-in-law. "We're still missing something. You and Zetsuei were talking about something that only you two seemed to know about."

Tsurugi and Inuyasha suddenly shared an anxious glance, attracting several stares. Sesshoumaru arched a brow at his son and half-brother, easily reading their guilty expressions. The taiyoukai sighed, clenching a hand into a fist.

Suddenly there was a slam and a crack, making everyone at the table jump with surprise. Tsurugi was nursing a lump forming at the top of his head and Inuyasha had been slammed face-first into the table. Sesshoumaru sat casually resting his head on his hand, seemingly unaware of anything happening.

"What the fuck, Sesshoumaru?!" Inuyasha growled, pushing himself up from the table with his hands.

"You should have informed me of this when you first learned of it," the taiyoukai said simply.

"Keh! I barely found out yesterday! Besides, it's not any of my business. If you wanted to hear about it, don't look at me. Tsurugi's known longer than I have!"

Sesshoumaru turned to his son. "Is that true?"

The Taisho heir grew nervous under his father's gaze, his face flushing with embarrassment. "You think I'd want to say anything about it to you, Chichiue? I found out by accident! I watched it happen! When Nee-chan found out I saw, I didn't know whether she'd be the one to kill me first or if Zetsuei would do it himself!"

Everyone but Zetsuei and the Inuyoukai men in the room looked on in a mixture of both confusion and alarm. There was still one key piece of all this that they were missing, information that the others seemed to have.

Mei Lhi glanced between her elder brothers, a low growl of frustration rumbling in her throat. "Alright, seriously, what is it you four know that you aren't sharing with the rest of us?" she asked.

"Have you not found Zetsuei's recent behavior a bit strange, dear sister?" the taiyoukai responded.

"Strange? How do you mean?"

"Well, he's been a bit tense since he first arrived here," Mizumi commented.

Sesshoumaru gave a slow nod, saying nothing. Zetsuei shifted uncomfortably, his arms still crossed tightly around himself, trying to ignore the feeling of several pairs of eyes once again staring in his direction.

"Actually," the Neko no Taisho continued slowly. "I think 'a bit' is a grave understatement," she paused, thinking. "Borderline irrational is more like it."

The Torayoukai gnashed his teeth together in frustration. "For the love of Kami-sama! How long are we going to drag this out?" he demanded, his magenta eyes fixed on the taiyoukai. "We're wasting time!"

"Very well," Sesshoumaru sighed in resignation. "Do you wish to tell them or shall I?"

"What the hell does it matter? I don't care!"

"Keh. I'll spare you both from putting up with anymore bullshit," Inuyasha said, interrupting both his brother and the Torayoukai heir. "Zetsuei and Tsukimisou are mates."

A collective "What?!" rang out throughout the room.

The hanyou continued as if there had been no interruption: "And right now, his instincts are in overdrive, telling him to go and rescue her, but he knows he can't. So to put it simply, it's no picnic. Zetsuei's at war with himself."

Everyone had fallen silent as all this began to process, putting the previous conversations they had been excluded from into proper context and finally making sense of it all. Finally, Rin spoke, her voice was soft, hesitant, and she couldn't manage to make herself look her father in the eye.

"Chichiue," she started slowly. "Are you…anno…upset by any of this?"

Sesshoumaru regarded her curiously, trying to discern the real question that his eldest daughter wished to ask, but dared not to voice in fear of offending him. The question he sought was easy to see, for it was clearly reflected in Rin's eyes in the split-second she had decided to risk looking up at him. The taiyoukai could still remember the way he'd reacted when he first found out about her and Shippou's relationship. It did not take much to figure out that Rin had feared his reaction would be similar in this instance as well. He sighed, interlacing his fingers, surveying everyone gathered around the table over his joined hands.

"Zetsuei's connection to Tsukimisou could not have come at a more convenient time. With it, we all will have a fair idea of how she's faring while in captivity," he paused. "However, I would hope that I have since learned from prior mistakes," he glanced at both Rin and Shippou, a hint of a curve at the corners of his lips. "And I should hate to make more, on account of hasty and otherwise poorly thought out actions. Does that answer your question, Rin?"

At this, Rin visibly relaxed, nodding in the affirmative. "Hai, Chichiue, it does."

"Now then, to business."

x0x0x0x

Within hours, preparations for Sesshoumaru and Mizumi's armies were well underway. Shippou and Rin had returned to the West to assemble the troops and ready them for the long march to the Eastern Lands. If everything went according to plan, both the armies from the East and the West would be able to march to the neutral zone in three day's time and set up camp there at the outer edge of the Neko clan border by nightfall of their arrival.

However, each and every one of them knew that plans did have the unfortunate tendency of going completely awry. And all of them could only hope against hope that that would not be the case. Tsukimisou's life depended on every step they took from this point onward. One misstep could very well be the deciding factor in whether she lived or died.

x0x0x0x

The armies began their march toward the East the next day. Their progress was steady, albeit a bit slow. It was a long march, but the soldiers knew that soon enough they would reach their destination, and before they knew it, they would be at war once again.

For now, as they marched onward, there was peace. It was the final calm before the inevitable storm brewing on the very near horizon.

x0x0x0x

"My lord," a Torayoukai started, kneeling before his lord.

Noboru inclined his head at the youkai before him, a silent invitation to speak.

"We have just received intelligence that Sesshoumaru's armies are leaving the West. They seem to be headed this way. Our other scouts have also reported that Mizumi of the Neko clan is also preparing her armies to march at first light tomorrow."

The pseudo-Taisho glared at his servant, his lips curling into a scowl of displeasure. "How many?" he demanded.

"We don't yet have an exact figure, but it's safe to assume that the traitor has given Mizumi and Sesshoumaru enough information on our forces here to expect that their numbers will likely outnumber ours."

"Then find more to join us, even if you have to take them by force. Make sure they're prepped and ready by no later than tomorrow."

The Torayoukai nodded once and rose to his feet, giving a short bow. "Hai, Noboru-sama," he said, striding away.

Noboru sat on his throne, a hand curled under his chin, deep in thought as he strategized his next move. He knew that Mizumi would want to avoid a direct confrontation on Torayoukai and Nekoyoukai soil. And if that was the case, there could be only one place she planned to stage their battle.

However, the Tora no Taisho knew, he would have to wait to be sure. The bitch did have her ways of surprising him. He would have to be ready, no matter what laid in store with him. And the only way to win at this game would be to be the one holding all the cards. Noboru smirked and stood from his chair, walking out of the throne room and down the hall to a small side room where he kept his current houseguest. He slid the door open, ignoring the seething glare that Tsukimisou gave him the moment he appeared in the doorway, and smiled.

"What do you want?" the Taisho heiress asked him pointedly.

"I just thought you should know that your father and your friends will soon be on their way here." Noboru answered her, his smile unfaltering.

"Good," she said. "I suppose that means my confinement here won't be for much longer."

"True enough, dear Tsukimisou. But that does not mean you will be freed."

"I expected as much," she sighed. "What did you come here for? You're obviously not here to bring me good news. What do you _really_ want?"

The pseudo-Taisho's smile quickly transformed into a sneer. "Observant as ever," he began, taking several steps toward her. "Now then, you're going to tell me everything you know about your father's armies."

"And if I don't?"

"There will be consequences."

Tsukimisou huffed. "Naturally."

"You think I'm not being serious?"

The Inuyoukai girl met his eyes, her stare cold and penetrating. "There is nothing you can do to me that will make me want to talk. You cannot harm me _too _severely if you wish to get what you want in the long run. So whatever hurt you wish to bestow upon me, I'll endure it all without complaint," she paused. "You should know that I won't be so easy to intimidate or control. I am Sesshoumaru's daughter and granddaughter of the great Inu no Taisho. You're going to have to try much harder if you wish to earn my compliance."

"I'll take that as a challenge," Noboru countered, matching her glare-for-glare. "You _will_ obey me. Sooner or later, you'll be begging me for forgiveness."

Tsukimisou grinned, knowing full well she was provoking the pseudo-Taisho's ire. "Don't try _too_ hard, Noboru. You might hurt yourself."

The pseudo-Taisho growled and quickly turned on his heel, slamming the door behind him. Tomorrow morning could not arrive fast enough.

x0x0x0x

Zetsuei leaned back against the wall, exhaling a slow, ragged breath, trying to calm himself down. No matter what he tried, he could not battle his youkai instincts back into submission. Every fiber of his being, every muscle, was coiled to spring. His instincts raged violently against the iron, albeit thin, sliver of reason, of control, that kept it caged.

He tucked his clenched fists under each arm, willing himself to think about something, _anything_ other than Tsukimisou. Even though he knew that at this very second she was safe, she was no more harmed than she had been the day before, he was still worried about her. All he could sense from her now was annoyance. He would have smiled at the idea if he weren't so wound up.

The Torayoukai growled in frustration. He hated this, hated knowing that his beloved was so near, hated knowing that he could not reach her. He hated the others who were content, who had their mates safely by their sides. He had had to get away from them. It had been unbearable to see everyone else with the ones they loved; a cruel mockery of the very thing he could not have. He ran the first chance he got, hiding as far from the others as he could, where they could not reach him. He needed to be alone, away from prying eyes. At least here, in solitude, he didn't have to work so hard to rein himself in. There was no need to keep up appearances nor was there a need to entertain notions of civility.

His plan to remain calm for Tsukimisou's sake was not going well. Calm was fleeting, elusive in this state of mind. Somewhere deep down, he knew he wouldn't find peace until he had his beloved in his arms again. He grimaced. Thinking of her brought on a lancing pain in his chest. She was both so near, and yet so far from him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Then, as if an answer to his desperate desire for peace, to feel Tsukimisou near, her presence was with him. Almost instantly, Zetsuei was overwhelmed with a sense of calm. Feeling her through the mark was enough.

Slowly, his frantic thoughts eased and there was peace within his mind. He could sense her; it was almost as if she was there with him, gently easing him into the merciful oblivion of sleep. His eyes fell shut and he let Tsukimisou take him away.

x0x0x0x

It had been hours since the last meeting had adjourned. Sesshoumaru's army was only a few hours away now. All had gathered in the war room, with one exception.

"No sign of Zetsuei, huh?" Mizumi asked, sighing heavily.

Tsurugi shook his head. "I've tried looking for him, but so far I haven't had any luck."

"He's got to come back eventually, right?" Kagome wondered aloud.

"Of course," the Neko no Taisho responded. "When he's ready, he will."

"We don't exactly have the liberty of waiting around for him to snap out of his self-confinement. There's a war to be fought, for Kami's sake." Tsurugi muttered.

Mizumi sighed. "You have _so_ very much to learn."

"What do you mean?"

"Every youkai clan is different, typically defined by the characteristics specific to their clan," she began. "My clan, as you know, has a reputation for being stubborn and at times, lazy. Your clan, the Inuyoukai, is known to be fiercely protective of one another. The Ryuuyoukai are considered wise, extremely powerful, and are practically royalty, since they're the oldest youkai clan in existence. If there's one thing to be said about Torayoukai, they're passionate. This can be both a good and a bad quality; it just depends on the individual."

"And if that individual was Zetsuei?" Sesshoumaru prompted.

"It's certainly problematic."

"In what way, exactly?" Hana inquired.

"From what I know about my…for lack of a better word, _cousins_," Mizumi started, sighing. "Any member of the Torayoukai stealth forces is trained from early childhood to operate without emotions. It's what makes them such excellent killers. They don't feel remorse, they don't ask questions. They simply follow orders. That's the mindset they're raised into, that traditionally, they'll stay stuck in until they die.

"For Zetsuei, this wasn't the case, as you and I all know. Zetsuei's not simply another one of Noboru's weak-minded, spineless pawns. He's not one to be easily controlled. And naturally, that control was broken. Zetsuei started to question things—honestly, I think he may have begun questioning Noboru's practices before I even met him. But he was sent to observe my father and even then, he could see that my father's attempt to force me to marry Harukichi was wrong. I wouldn't have been able to escape if not for him.

"Naturally, his questions and his own sense of morals led to a reawakening of long-suppressed emotions and he started to feel things again. But here's where things get complicated. Because Torayoukai are naturally so passionate, they feel just as passionately. After having had his emotions suppressed for nearly all his life, and now having to endure such intense feelings like love, loss, anger, and whatever else, not to mention throwing his own instincts into the mix, it's completely overwhelming. He's not entirely stable; he can't handle these feelings—he's never felt them before. He doesn't even have prior experience with dealing with the intensity of them. What he's feeling now, those are strong emotions on their own. But feeling them as a Torayoukai? It's even worse. How he's managed it this far? My only guess is that Tsukimisou is helping somehow. Most people who start to feel again after leaving the stealth forces can't take it. They're driven mad."

"What happens to the others? The ones who leave?" Kagome asked hesitantly, fearing the answer.

"They die. Almost always by their own hand."

Tsurugi sighed. "Great. So now we've got to worry about Zetsuei losing his mind and going off the deep end. As if worrying about my sister and whatever Noboru's planning isn't enough already."

"If you're finished debating my current mental stability," Zetsuei's annoyed-sounding voice cut in suddenly from the doorway, startling everyone in the room. "It might please you to know that the soldiers are less than ten miles out."

"Excellent news," Mizumi said, recovering quickly. "I'll be sure to be ready to receive them when they arrive."

"Are we heading out when they get here?"

"No," the Neko no Taisho answered. "At least, not right away. I imagine Sesshoumaru's troops would like a few hours' rest before we have them march again."

Zetsuei said nothing, bristling silently with irritation, and turned quickly on his heel to head back out of the room. The others turned to watch him leave, waiting until he was well out of earshot before they dared to speak again.

"Will he be alright?" Hana wondered aloud.

"He's putting on a brave face," Inuyasha commented. "But who knows how long he'll be able to keep that up?"

"I'm not holding my breath," Tsurugi muttered.

Mizumi sighed heavily. "Let me deal with Zetsuei," she said. "I'm probably the only one who has the slightest inkling of what's going on with him."

"You sure you want to do that?"

"No. But I haven't got much of a choice in the matter, have I?"

x0x0x0x

The collective inu and neko troops made their march further east toward the neutral zone within a matter of hours. Mizumi was at the fore, leading the nearly-six-hundred-men strong army toward their destination.

Word of this march had soon reached Noboru's ears. His well-placed scouts had rushed back to the Tora lands the moment the armies had left the Neko clan's gates. Within minutes, the pseudo-Taisho had issued the order for his forces to assemble. His generals had assured him that they would be ready to depart within the hour. He grinned at the thought that soon he would be on the battlefield, and hopefully, bringing his troubles with his nephew to a permanent end.

Noboru glanced over his shoulder where his newly-appointed head of the stealth forces was currently preparing Tsukimisou for travel. He smirked at the inuyoukai girl; seeing her like this, her hands tightly bound behind her back with a length of rope, gave him a sudden rush of satisfaction.

"Is our prisoner secure?" the pseudo-Taisho asked.

Souzen nodded. "Yes, milord."

"Good," he stepped toward Tsukimisou, his smirk still in place. "So tell me, Tsukimisou, are you feeling up to a walk?" he asked patronizingly.

The Taisho heiress glared at him. "What am I, your prisoner or a pet?"

Noboru laughed. "Now there's an idea," he murmured, looking to his scout. "It seems we require some additional restraints for this one."

x0x0x0x

Tsukimisou gnashed her teeth, stopping a hiss of pain from escaping her lips. The bonds at her wrists were too tight, the coarsely-woven rope digging into her flesh. It wouldn't be long until she started smelling her own blood. Each step she took on the march was torture; the rope gratingly rubbed against her skin, the stray fibers sinking in deeper each time.

And if this wasn't enough, Noboru's latest additions to her binds were insult to injury. A leather strap had been fastened around her neck, attached to a long cord. The bastard had made her a leash.

She turned ever so slightly, risking a glance over her shoulder. Noboru sat astride a horse a few paces behind her, the other end of the cord wound around his hand. Rage against this man began to boil in her blood. It took all her self-control to master the urge to lash out against him.

This was demeaning, utterly humiliating. She was boxed in by ranks of soldiers at her sides and at her front, Noboru at her back, with more soldiers behind. Here he was, parading her before his armies, as if she was the brand new puppy brought home. She scowled. Every now and again the soldiers would catch her eye, smirking at her, or worse, give her over-appreciative stares that left no doubt in her mind that whatever thoughts they were entertaining were twisted and depraved, and undoubtedly obscene. The very idea made her skin crawl. She repressed a shudder as another soldier looked her way, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

The soldier moved on in formation and Tsukimisou quietly sighed with relief. She couldn't wait for this march to be over. Her only consolation was that their destination was four or five hours away. That was an hour ago.

If she could hold out for just a little bit longer, she told herself, she could return to the safety of her own confinement. That, at least, was better than being subjected to the heated gazes of countless numbers of perverted men.

She sighed again, a slow exhale. Only three more hours left to go.

x0x0x0x

The Neko and Inu clan troops had made it to the neutral zone. Mizumi called for a halt and turned toward the army, her eyes surveying them all.

"We will make camp here," she began, addressing everyone. "Get tents set up and a fire going. Rest while you can. I don't know how long Noboru will wait around before he plans to attack. But know this: don't expect him to formally begin the battle and give us the opportunity to prepare. So I wish to caution all of you to remain vigilant while we remain here. Understood?"

"Hai, Mizumi-sama!" the army chorused.

As the tents went up, the Neko no Taisho stared off into the distance, her sapphire eyes fixed on the empty field laid before her that spanned several miles. Moments later, Tsurugi joined her, his gaze mirroring hers. He sighed.

"So it's out there?" he asked.

Mizumi nodded. "Yes. That's the neutral zone. And just beyond it, the edge of the Tora clan lands."

Tsurugi bowed his head, tearing his eyes away from the field, a fleeting look of distress crossing his features. He shut his eyes, drawing a slow, calming breath. A smaller, feminine hand slipped into his at that moment, making the Taisho heir open his eyes in surprise, turning to look at the Nekoyoukai beside him and down at their joined hands.

The Neko no Taisho turned to look at him, a soft smile gracing her lips. "We'll get your sister back," she reached her free hand toward him, placing it gently on his shoulder. "She's going to be alright. I promise."

"What if she doesn't?" the Taisho heir whispered, twining his fingers with hers.

"Don't think like that," she chided him. "We're going to make sure she's safe. Don't worry."

Slowly, Tsurugi nodded. He was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. "Do you think Zetsuei can do it? Overthrow his uncle, take back the throne?"

"I don't see why not. I'm confident in his ability to do what must be done."

"Even though he's a mess right now?"

Mizumi smirked. "Especially since he's a mess right now. It means he's motivated. He'll do whatever it takes to get Tsukimisou back."

"Provided he doesn't lose his mind first?"

"Have a little faith in him, will you?"

"I'll do my best," Tsurugi muttered.

The Neko no Taisho sighed, dropping her hand from his shoulder, and turned to glance back at the camp, noticing that several dozens of tents had gone up. She withdrew her hand from Tsurugi's and stepped away from him.

"Come," she said. "The war tent's up. I need to debrief you and your family on the Eastern borders."

x0x0x0x

One by one, Mizumi, Tsurugi, and the others entered the tent, a reluctant Zetsuei being the last to arrive. Slowly, each took a seat on a vacant cushion that ringed a long low table. On the table was a map of the East. The Neko no Taisho sat at the head of the table, waiting for everyone to get settled.

"I thank you all for coming," she began slowly, once Zetsuei had taken his place at the opposite end of the table. "As I was telling Tsurugi when we arrived here, I need to debrief you."

Sesshoumaru nodded once with understanding, waiting for the Neko no Taisho to continue. Al eyes but Zetsuei's looked to her expectantly. Mizumi sighed and glanced at the Torayoukai regarding him with a mixture of sympathy and irritation.

"Zetsuei, I understand that you're not entirely with us here, but for the sake of politeness, at least pretend you're paying attention, will you?"

The Torayoukai raised his eyes, glaring at her before giving a stiff nod of compliance. She sighed again, this time out of relief, and turned away to look at the others.

"So," she started again, much less irritable than before. "As you may or may not be aware, where we're camped is the edge of my lands. I've provided this," she paused, gesturing at the map on the table, "to help explain the Neko and Tora borders as well as the boundaries of our future battlefield."

"It's not a simple dividing line?" Tsurugi asked.

Mizumi shook her head. "No. The field ahead of us is divided into three separate zones, five, if you include the actual boundaries that mark where my lands and the Tora clan lands begin. I realize this sounds complicated, but it's not," she glanced up at Zetsuei. "I imagine you ran through the neutral zone to reach the East-West boundary?"

"Yes," the Torayoukai replied, his tone clipped. "In the best interest of not drawing your clan into a war with mine."

The Neko no Taisho nodded. "Much to our mutual misfortune then, that we've only managed to put off the inevitable."

"So it seems."

She turned away from him again, redirecting her attention to the others. She reached under the table for a fine-tipped ink brush, rising from the table to lean over the map, and proceeded to draw a series of lines upon the map's surface, writing the symbols for 'cat' and 'tiger'—one each on the outer sides of the lines she had drawn. She stepped away from the table and returned to her seat, finding herself met with several inquiring stares.

"What I've just drawn in for you are the Eastern boundary lines," she pointed to the first line she had drawn. "This line is right about where we are now, the edge of my lands, hence why I've written in 'neko' there. The opposite side is the same, except that is the edge of the Torayoukai clan lands, which I've labeled accordingly," she gestured at the symbol for 'tora' before continuing. "This area in the middle, between both the Neko and Tora clan boundaries, as you can see, is divided into three zones. But it is ruled by no one, which makes it an ideal place to stage our upcoming battle, as I'm sure I've said before at some point.

"Despite a lack of ownership, this unclaimed area is well-regulated. Back when the first Neko no Taisho and first Tora no Taisho took to power, they came to an agreement that this area would serve as the Eastern Neutral Zone. It is a field that is five miles across from both clan's border lines and twenty miles from each clan's respective palaces.

"Naturally, with such a small amount of space separating us, the potential threat of either clan using this area as a base camp a stone's throw from the royal palaces was high. Rules had to be imposed in this area so as to avoid unintentional hostilities or to establish what would be determined as an invasion. Thus, this area of five miles was subdivided evenly into three parts.

"The first two miles beyond the edge of my lands is known as the Neko Neutral Zone. Crossing into it is still seen as neutral passage, but under circumstances of war, such as now, it can be interpreted as an invasion. The same holds for the other side as well. The first two miles beyond the edge of the Tora lands is considered the Tora Neutral Zone. The remaining mile in the center is the Absolute Neutral Zone, or more formally, the Zone of Absolute Neutrality. It is truly neutral ground, neither here, nor there, in terms of ownership."

"An ideal place for negotiations, then," Kyo said.

Mizumi nodded. "Exactly. And I've no doubt that once Noboru and his armies arrive, he'll take full advantage of the location to attempt to negotiate our surrender."

"'Negotiate' meaning 'blackmail' in this case," Tsurugi muttered.

The Neko no Taisho sighed, her expression grim. "Yes, unfortunately," she agreed. "I think we're safe to assume that threats against Tsukimisou's life will be made. But we have to trust that the wisest course of action is to continue to resist, and, should things go awry, we've got ourselves a direct line to determining Tsukimisou's condition and we'll be close enough to take action."

Zetsuei shot the Neko clan leader another glare. "Provided it's not already too late, you mean?" he hissed at her.

Mizumi sighed again. "Kami-sama help me, if you don't stop glowering at me, I'm going to hit you over the head with something."

The Torayoukai growled at her, serving to tell her exactly what he thought of that particular idea.

"Alright, alright!" she snapped defensively, throwing her hands up in surrender. "That was mean to say. But you're not exactly a bucketful of sunshine over there yourself!"

"For a reason!"

She raked both her hands through her hair in frustration. "I'm well aware of your reason, but first and foremost, you _need_ to relax!" she said, stressing the words so that each sounded like their own sentence. "Now can we _please_ get back to the matter at hand? I know you're frustrated and impatient and whatever else, but keep it under control. The last thing Tsukimisou needs is more stress from your end."

Zetsuei started to open his mouth to protest, but Mizumi had effectively stopped him, withdrawing one of her hands from her hair, holding it up in a placating gesture, her expression seeming to say, "I'll give you the time to say your piece on this, but now is not the place." After a moment, the Torayoukai lowered his head, a sign of resignation, and exhaled a long, slow, heavy breath to calm himself down.

The Neko no Taisho gave him a nod of approval, turning again to the others, many of whom appeared to be more than impressed with how she managed to handle the more-than-volatile Torayoukai.

"So where were we?" she asked, sounding as if the near-confrontation between herself and Zetsuei had not happened at all.

"We were discussing how negotiations might proceed within the Absolute Neutral Zone," Kagome supplied.

"Right!" the Nekoyoukai said, regaining her tack on the previous conversation. "Now then, if Noboru is the man I think he is, he'll want to proceed into negotiations as soon as possible. More than likely, we can expect him any time within the next few hours. Knowing him, he'll have had scouts posted outside my palace walls to keep an eye on our movements. I'm sure he already knows we've moved our troops and is likely doing the same as we speak."

"Do you think he'll want to commence negotiations when he arrives?" Hana asked.

"No, I don't think he will," Mizumi answered. "At the earliest, he'll arrive within the hour, provided he mobilized his forces the moment he got word that we'd mobilized ours. And even then, the hour is steadily growing later. If we were to open negotiations when he gets here, depending on how long we're in talks for, we could be standing in the dark in the middle of the field. Noboru would not want to put himself in that kind of position and neither would I."

"Why not?" Tsurugi wondered aloud.

"Three words: Torayoukai stealth forces."

Zetsuei gave a snort of amusement, startling several of the others gathered around the table. "That lot couldn't hit the broad side of an ochaya, even if they tried! Let alone at night."

The Taisho heir laughed. "Now who's afraid of the dark?"

"Who indeed?" Mizumi murmured, just barely managing to master the urge to shake her head at the Inu and Torayoukai boys. "Questionable lethalness of the rest of Noboru's stealth forces aside, I still don't want to be in talks with that bastard when it's pitch black outside. If he's going to open negotiations, it'll be at first light tomorrow."

"So what do we do in the meantime between now and then?" Mei Lhi asked.

"There's really nothing we _can_ do at this point. My advice? Get a tent set up for yourself and get some rest. Until negotiations proceed, we have no further moves to make. The ball's in Noboru's court right now."

The hanyou woman nodded in understanding and said nothing further. A beat of silence settled over everyone in the tent, only to be broken by Sesshoumaru a moment later.

"Was there anything else you wished to discuss, Mizumi?" he inquired.

The Neko no Taisho shook her head. "No, nothing further; I've said what I needed to say for now. This meeting is adjourned. We'll reconvene after negotiations have been made," she said, looking to everyone, who nodded in response to her words. "Dismissed!"

One by one, just as they had entered, they left, rising from the table and exiting the tent. And just as he had been last to arrive, Zetsuei was last to leave. He stood opposite Mizumi, a hand poised to push through the canvas flap serving as a door, the pair of them sharing a knowing look—an unspoken promise to finish the dialogue that had opened between them.

"Until tomorrow," the Torayoukai said at last.

"Tomorrow," Mizumi echoed.

Then Zetsuei turned away from her, pushing the canvas cloth aside, and stepped out into the approaching dusk.

* * *

**A/N:** And that's another one done! Today is August 1, 2012, so let's see how long the delay is for this one. Hopefully _not_ four months…or a year, or worse. I'll start writing Ch. 31 immediately; I've got it all planned out. Ja ne until next time!

**Edited A/N (1.21.2013):** Holy crap, I'm SO sorry it's been so long. I didn't get the beta back until October, since my beta reader was having life happen, which is totally understandable. But then of course, conveniently, once I got the beta back, life started happening for me, and I've been buried under work relentlessly for the past several months. I'm in the home stretch of my time at the university. As of March this year I'll be graduating and be done with school forever (I hope). So needless to say, I've had my hands full with taking all those last classes I need to get done with to finish up my degree requirements. I've just got about 2 more months of school and I'm out of here. I finally had a moment to spare so I'm posting this now while I've got the luxury of time and I'm not feeling ridiculously exhausted from it all (honestly, two days ago I found my first grey hair! I'm only 22 for god's sake! If that's not proof of how stressed I've been lately, I don't know what is!) Anyway. I've sent off Ch. 31 to my beta shortly before posting this chapter. So hopefully it'll be up soon. But I won't make any promises. Midterms are in 2 weeks, so we'll see which way the wind blows.


	31. Kaiken

**A/N:** Hello everyone! I'm kind of impatient, so today I'll do the disclaimer myself. I want to jump right into this chapter, so let's get on with it, shall we?

Me: I do not own Inuyasha, Memoirs of a Geisha, Star Wars, or anything I've referenced, alluded to, etc. All of that belongs to a lot of very talented and successful people. Mizumi and her maids belong to Carrie and Zetsuei belongs to A.J.; I have simply brought their ideas for OCs to life in my story. I own my plot and my writing only. If you try to sue me for plagiarism or theft, I will tell you you're on crack or something similar because I don't do that. I've been writing stories for far too long to do such stupid things. With that said, here's Ch. 31.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-One: Kaiken

The sun was only just beginning its descent in the sky when the Tora Neutral Zone came into view. Noboru led his horse forward, his eyes scanning the horizon. He could just make out the war camp on the opposite side of the field, the Neko and Inu clan banners fluttering in the slight breeze.

He turned away, redirecting his attention to his captive who walked a few paces ahead of him. Her eyes, now glimmering with hope, were fixed on the banners and suddenly her posture straightened, a cool determination encompassing her. The sight of her father's army so near had transformed her. She seemed so certain that she would be free of her current situation, so sure that her father would succeed. To her, the battle was already won.

Unwarranted, the memory of her words to him the day she'd first been brought into the throne room echoed in his mind.

"_I'll see him again when his armies breach the Tora lands' walls and he comes to personally rip you apart._"

The pseudo-Taisho growled, his hand tightening on the cord fastened to her leash. He gave a sharp tug, the action sending Tsukimisou to her knees as she gasped for breath. A satisfied smirk crossed Noboru's face as he glanced at the Taisho heiress lying helplessly upon the ground. He turned away from her and raised his free hand over his head to signal the halt.

"Ready, halt!"

As one, the soldiers came to a stop. Noboru dismounted his horse, landing heavily upon the ground. He strode forward, stooping to pull Tsukimisou to her feet by her collar, his smirk growing as he saw her struggle to breathe, deriving a sick pleasure from seeing her so defenseless, so utterly at his mercy, under his complete control.

He drew her close to him, using the leash to pull her forward, his lips at her ear. "You think your father will save you. Seeing his banners on the horizon give you hope, don't they?" he whispered, knowing full well that his words rang true. "You are right though; you'll see your father again. Right before I cut off his head."

Then he released her, pulling away abruptly, relishing in the stunned look upon the girl's face. He stepped away from her, his eyes scanning the ranks of his soldiers.

"Souzen!" he called.

Immediately the stealth forces leader was at his side. "Milord?"

"We will make camp here. Instruct the others to get fires going. It will be dark soon. Also, make sure that _that_," he paused, pointing his chin in Tsukimisou's direction, "is secured in my tent. We can't have the little princess running off to daddy, now can we?"

Souzen nodded. "It will be done, sir."

x0x0x0x

The sound of screams pierced the night, shattering the easy quiet that had settled over the East. The evening breeze, once comfortably warm, had dropped to a bitter chill. Blood had been spilled this night; its scent was thick in the air, palpable, even.

"Zenjiro-sama! Please! _Please_ wake up!" a woman's voice shrieked hysterically.

A door slammed open in the room, the silver light of the moon illuminating what the darkness had hidden. Servants and soldiers spilled into the room, their eyes widening in horror at the sight before them.

The Tora no Taisho lay still in his bed, covered in his own blood. His mate was at his side, their bodies turned in toward one another, their arms holding one another close. Zenjiro's face was frozen in an expression of shock and anger, his magenta eyes still burning in the dim light, even in death.

Finally, one of the soldiers broke the eerie silence, his voice trembling as he spoke. "R-Raise the alarm, one of you!" he said urgently. "Inform everyone that Zenjiro-sama and Mineko-sama have been assassinated. And for Kami's sake summon Noboru-sama."

A second soldier gave a firm nod and strode out of the room, closing the door behind him. As the sound of his clanking armor faded away, it was silent in the room once more. No one spoke; they simply stared at their deceased lord and lady. The soldiers' faces were grim, the maidservants wept quietly, trying to stifle their sobs with their hands.

And then the woman who had been first into the room, a lady-in-waiting to Mineko-sama, voiced the question on everyone's minds: "Who could have done this?"

"I do not know," the first soldier murmured in reply. "But whoever they are, they have made a grave mistake and have thus sealed their fate as an enemy to the Tora clan."

Silence fell upon them again. This time there was no sound but the wind stirring the grass in the courtyard a few feet away. Then, distantly, the sounds of a commotion rang out and the scent of fresh blood was in the air. Fast, heavy footsteps neared the bedroom and suddenly the door was ripped from its frame.

Several pairs of eyes looked to the door, the maids crying out in terror.

"Noboru-sama!" they exclaimed.

The young lord was covered in blood, from the smell of it, it was his own. And yet, upon a more careful inspection, one could smell traces of the blood of others on him. He said nothing, going to kneel at his elder brother's bedside, ignoring that his clothes were further being sullied. He checked both bodies for a pulse, drawing his hand away when he felt none.

"They're both dead?" he asked after a long moment.

"Yes, milord," a maid confirmed sadly. "Both of them, murdered in their own bed!" she went on sobbing openly now. "I can't believe it! It's so horrible."

"And what of the boy?"

"T-The boy?"

"Yes, _the boy_," Noboru said irritably. "Has anyone thought to look for my nephew?"

The others shook their heads.

"Clearly someone wished to kill off the royal family. These murders were _not _random! How impossibly foolish could you be to not think to check if Zenjiro's heir was alive or not?"

The maids paled and bowed low in apology, the soldiers doing the same. Noboru growled at all of them, angered by their incompetence. He turned away from them, studying the way his brother and sister-in-law had their bodies curled toward one another, almost as if they were protecting something; their final act before their death.

His eyes narrowed. "Search the palace for the boy. If he cannot be found, assume he is dead or captured. Go, now!" he snarled, not looking away from the bodies.

The room quickly emptied and Noboru stood alone, towering above his brother's corpse. He stared at the space between the bodies, suddenly noticing a tiny hand curled around a strand of long, flowing hair.

He knelt down again, reaching for the small hand, eyes widening slightly as it withdrew upon his approach. The bodies began to shift, and hiding behind the curtain of his mother's dark green hair was a small boy, barely a year old.

The child rose, still half-asleep, and rubbed his tired eyes, frowning upon realizing his hands were wet. He lowered his hands, his magenta eyes widening at the sight of his bloodied palms. Immediately, the child turned to his parents on either side of him, trying to shake them awake.

"Otou-san," he said, staring into his father's open eyes, not realizing that no matter how hard he tried, his father would never be able to see him again. "Otou-san!" He turned to his mother, shaking her too. "Kaa-san!" he cried. "Kaa-san, wake up!"

Slowly, the boy came to understand that something was very, very wrong. He turned away from his mother and father, finally noticing the man kneeling before him. He squinted his eyes, recognizing the man's face in the dim light.

"Oji-san!" he exclaimed, frightened tears beginning to pool in his eyes. "Oji-san, Otou-san and Kaa-san won't wake up. Why won't they wake up?"

"Your parents are never going to wake up, Zetsuei." Noboru said. "They're dead."

x0x0x0x

Zetsuei's eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly in bed, trying to get his bearings. His dream had felt so real, so familiar. He raked a hand through his hair in frustration, his eyes catching sight of a stray strand. It was dark green, just like the woman's in his dream. And his eyes, they were the same color as that other man's. The man and woman he had called Otou-san and Kaa-san. His parents.

It was then that Zetsuei realized it had been no dream, but a memory. A memory long forgotten, buried under years of study of the shadow arts. He growled angrily, realizing that that was probably Noboru's plan from the beginning. Why else would that bastard have let him live?

And then, as quickly as the anger had come, it abated. His parents had died so that he could live. Even in the final moments before Noboru ended their lives, their last act on this earth had been to use their own bodies to shield him from harm.

He sighed, feeling the ire within him beginning to rise. Noboru killed his parents and betrayed the entire clan, creating the ultimate lie to secure his place on the throne. And for what? For power? Control of the lands? The bastard had no morals. He only cared about himself.

The thought of the murdering, traitorous man and his twisted motivations made his stomach turn. In a swift movement, he threw off his blanket, leaving it in a heap on his bedroll, and stormed out of the tent.

There would be no sleep for him tonight, not while these unwanted thoughts of Noboru ran rampant in his mind.

The night air was cold, but not cold enough to give him a chill. Zetsuei started walking, passing row after row of tents, heading out of camp in hopes of finding a quiet place away from everyone else.

He continued onward and eventually the amount of tents had grown sparser, until at long last, he was in the woods. Except he was not alone as he had hoped. Standing in a forest clearing, his eyes turned toward the night sky, was Sesshoumaru.

Zetsuei knew that the taiyoukai was more than well aware of his approach. He hadn't exactly tried to keep his steps quiet.

"Sorry," he muttered, turning to leave. "I didn't realize you were here. I'll just…go."

"Stay," the taiyoukai said, effectively halting Zetsuei's movement.

The pair of them stood silent for several moments. Sesshoumaru continued to stare at the stars, giving no further acknowledgment of the Torayoukai's presence. Zetsuei shifted awkwardly, feeling oddly uncomfortable. He prepared to try to leave again, but found himself stopped once more by the demon lord.

"'By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower,'" † Sesshoumaru recited slowly, turning to face the Torayoukai. "Have you heard this phrase before?"

Zetsuei shook his head.

"Do you know what it means?"

The Torayoukai's brows narrowed slightly in thought, considering this. "Why do I get the feeling that this discussion has absolutely nothing to do with plants?"

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched, hinting at a smirk. "That would be an accurate assumption."

"So what _are_ we talking about, exactly?"

"Take some time to think about it. Perhaps it will come to you."

Zetsuei frowned, still not certain what to make of the words the taiyoukai had spoken. He continued to think, repeating the phrase over again in his mind until—at last! Comprehension dawned.

"I still have a profound appreciation for the flower's splendor, petals or none," he said finally.

The taiyoukai tilted his head to the side, a brow arched with mild curiosity. "Is that how you honestly feel? Or is it merely a biased opinion, seeing as you are the one that deflowered her?"

"You doubt me?" the Torayoukai questioned, his eyes narrowing in minute anger.

"I merely wish to know your intentions," Sesshoumaru answered tonelessly. "I need to know whether or not your affections are genuine or if they are merely a manifestation of your own need to further explore the emotions you have just regained."

Zetsuei scowled. "Haven't I done enough to prove myself?"

"That fact remains to be seen."

"What more do I need to do?" the boy exclaimed in frustration. "I would die for her! Is that what you want to hear? Is that proof enough for you?"

Sesshoumaru's expression grew cold, casting his penetrating gaze upon the Torayoukai before him. "I will decide when you have provided me with sufficient proof. As it stands, your current state makes it difficult to discern exactly where your heart lies," he paused, as if collecting his thoughts. "If I am to allow your union, I must be certain that your intentions are nothing less than honorable. I will not have my daughter be used for abhorrent purposes."

"I would _never_ do such a thing. Not to her," Zetsuei hissed, the disgust and horror of the very idea of using Tsukimisou in such a way clearly visible upon his face. "I'm not capable of something so despicable."

"I see," the taiyoukai said, the intensity of his stare diminishing. "Perhaps your affections are genuine after all."

They fell silent; there was no sound but the wind rustling the leaves in the trees. Sesshoumaru again turned his eyes to the sky, watching as a late evening fog began to roll in. Zetsuei sighed softly with relief, sensing that their discussion had come to a close, already feeling the tension in the air starting to dissipate.

The wind grew colder, coming in stronger gusts, ushering in low clouds that hid the stars from view. Then came the rain, a slow, gentle shower that fell one drop at a time, gradually turning into a steady downpour. The rain seeped into everything, the grass bowing over, weighted down by the heavy drops.

Sesshoumaru lowered his head, turning to glance over his shoulder. "You should rest," he said. "I do not know what Noboru plans on doing after negotiations are made."

"What about you, Sesshoumaru?" Zetsuei asked.

The taiyoukai turned his head away, facing the tree line. "I will not be sleeping tonight."

"I see," the Torayoukai murmured. "Well, goodnight, Sesshoumaru."

x0x0x0x

The rain had stopped just before dawn, leaving a lingering mist in the early morning air. As the sun began its ascent, a lone Torayoukai approached the Absolute Neutral Zone, a white banner in hand. He stopped at the center border line and raised the banner.

"I come with a message from Noboru-sama!" he called out across the other half of the field. "My lord requests the presence of Mizumi-sama of the East and Sesshoumaru-sama of the West in order to commence negotiations and attempt to end things peaceably. You have one hour to appear in the neutral zone."

And then he lowered the banner, heading back the way he had come, and disappeared into the mist.

x0x0x0x

On the Neko clan side of the neutral zone, everyone had gathered in the war tent upon hearing the Torayoukai messenger's words ringing out in the early dawn. Mizumi sighed, slipping Hyorimetsu under the sash of her battle hakama. A few feet away, Sesshoumaru stood looking as ready as ever, Bakusaiga and Tenseiga at his hip.

"We've got a little less than half an hour before Sesshoumaru and I must go to meet with Noboru," the Neko no Taisho said. "In the event he tries anything, perhaps a few of you could be posted on the boundary line between the Neko and Absolute neutral zones? You'd be far away enough to not pose a threat, but close enough to act should danger arise."

"That will be unnecessary," Sesshoumaru disagreed. "Posting additional people within such a close distance would likely cause more problems than it is worth. As the messenger stated, Noboru has requested that only Mizumi and I are to appear. If Noboru were to see others in the vicinity, he may consider that as a failure on our part to comply with his demands."

"And that bastard doesn't need another reason to be pissed off at us as it is," Inuyasha muttered.

"Alright," Mizumi relented. "Sesshoumaru and I will go alone."

x0x0x0x

Meanwhile on the Tora clan side of the neutral zone, Noboru was making preparations of his own. Unlike his foes on the other side, he was not worried. The pseudo-Taisho was overly-confident that everything would go in his favor that day. So confident in fact, that for the first time in a long time, he was in reasonably good spirits.

He glanced at the entrance to his tent at the sound of someone coming in, seeing Souzen leading in Tsukimisou. The pseudo-Taisho smirked, looking to his head of the stealth forces.

"I trust our prisoner has been well-tended to today?" Noboru asked. "We need the little hime-sama to be at her best. She's meeting her father, after all."

"Hai," Souzen answered. "I even remembered to feed her this time."

Tsukimisou's eyes narrowed in minute anger, glaring at the two Torayoukai. "What are you plotting, Noboru?" she questioned. "What purpose would seeing my father now serve?"

The pseudo-Taisho's face turned into an expression of surprise, as if he were bewildered at the very idea that the Inuyoukai girl could doubt him. "I am merely acting out of kindness, Tsukimisou," he replied. "Do you not want to see your father? I'm sure he's worried about you."

"Hn. I get it," she said, her eyes alight with comprehension. "I'm your negotiator, aren't I? You're so sure that these negotiations will succeed because you plan on using me in hopes of swaying my father's decision in your favor."

"Oh?" Noboru murmured, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "You're much more intelligent than I gave you credit for, Tsukimisou."

The Taisho heiress barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "What? Are you surprised that I've actually got a brain, unlike the rest of you?"

Noboru growled menacingly at her. "You are lucky that I don't strike you here and now," he hissed. "I can't have you seeing your dear father with a bruised face. Consider this an extent of my mercy."

"Mercy? Ha! Don't make me laugh," Tsukimisou scoffed. "You say that like it actually means something to you. But you and I both know better, don't we? You haven't got an ounce of mercy in you at all!"

The pseudo-Taisho strode toward her, firmly gripping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, his expression enraged. "Mind your words, woman, before I cut out your tongue and mind them for you!"

"And what would my father say when he sees I can no longer speak?"

"Hmph!"

Tsukimisou smirked. "That's what I thought," she said satisfactorily. "All you've got are empty threats."

"For now," Noboru responded icily. "Mark my words; you'll pay for your impudence later when I don't have to keep you looking presentable for your father's sake."

x0x0x0x

The time had come. The hour was up. Sesshoumaru stood just a few steps from the line that divided the neutral zones perfectly in half, Mizumi at his side. The mist was beginning to clear and Noboru had yet to show up.

"He's late," the Neko no Taisho murmured.

"He will come," the taiyoukai said. "We are here at his behest. I assume he must think himself unbound by the time constraints he set for us."

As he said this, dark shapes came into view in the fading mist. Sesshoumaru's brows narrowed infinitesimally as he studied the shapes which were still too far away to discern. The light of dawn shone into the field and the mist dissipated under the warm rays, and the shadowy figures were suddenly thrown into relief. Recognition flickered in the taiyoukai's eyes as he realized who the two people coming toward him were.

"Is that…?" Mizumi started, trailing off.

Sesshoumaru nodded once, his gaze fixed on the horizon where Noboru strode toward them with Tsukimisou in tow.

The pseudo-Taisho stopped walking just out of hearing range and turned toward the Inuyoukai girl, exchanged a few words with her, and then pointed toward Mizumi and Sesshoumaru's direction. The girl nodded and started to walk, heading for the boundary line.

She stopped just before the line, her head bowed. And for a long moment it was silent.

"Tsukimisou," Sesshoumaru said at last.

The Taisho heiress raised her head. "Chichiue," she murmured in greeting, giving a polite nod in his direction, turning to glance at the Nekoyoukai at his side. "Mizumi-sama."

"How are you holding up?" the Neko no Taisho asked.

"As well as can be expected," Tsukimisou replied.

"Noboru sent you on his behalf?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

Tsukimisou nodded. "I'm here to negotiate your surrender for my freedom."

"Is that your wish?"

"No," she shook her head. "I don't want you to. Not for my sake. Getting Zetsuei on the throne is more important."

"Should you be saying that out loud?" Mizumi wondered.

"Noboru can't hear us. We're safe to speak freely. I'm sure he assumes I'm doing what he instructed me to before he allowed me over here."

"Which was?"

"Do everything and anything I had to in order to get you both to give up on the coup," the Taisho heiress paused. "He had hoped by sending me over here you both would be more receptive to his demands. But I know you both know better than to be fooled so easily."

"What will you tell him?" Sesshoumaru asked, glancing quickly at the pseudo-Taisho off in the distance before redirecting his attention to his daughter. "I imagine his patience is wearing thin."

Tsukimisou sighed, reluctantly meeting her father's gaze. "The truth."

"He will be displeased to hear it."

"I know," she nodded in agreement, her shoulders stiffening with resolve. "I can handle Noboru. It'll be difficult, but as long as Zetsuei makes it on the throne in the end, it'll be worth it."

Mizumi sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Well, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Tsukimisou," she warned. "The minute you go back and tell him our answer's no, your days will probably be numbered, since he'll have no further need of you."

"I've already considered that to be a very strong possibility, if not a definite one."

"Heh. In any event, good luck."

"Thank you," Tsukimisou replied. "I only hope that I won't need it."

"Do your best and try not to die."

The Inuyoukai girl nodded and prepared to turn to leave.

"Tsukimisou," Sesshoumaru said suddenly, causing the girl to halt mid-step.

"Chichiue?" she answered, her eyes wide with surprise.

"I wish you to promise me something," he started.

"Of course."

The taiyoukai looked directly into his daughter's eyes, his expression serious. "If you have an opportunity to escape, promise me that you will take it."

Tsukimisou nodded. "Hai," she whispered. "I promise." Her head had bowed again, her face hidden by her hair. She bit her lip nervously, mustering the courage to raise her head again. "Will you…will you tell everyone I love them?" she asked finally.

Looking into his daughter's eyes, Sesshoumaru could see that these parting words meant more than she dared to let on. The taiyoukai knew without a doubt about who they were meant for. Beside him, Mizumi had come to a similar realization, her face set determinedly.

"We'll tell him," the Nekoyoukai assured her.

Tsukimisou's eyes widened in shock for just a split-second before her expression transformed into one of gratitude. "Thank you," she said softly, turning away from them at last, and made her way toward Noboru, who was standing several yards away waiting for her impatiently.

Her steps were slow and measured. The Taisho girl knew that Noboru would definitely not like to hear what she had to say. Part of her feared how he would react to the news, but what she feared more was how her own father would respond to the pseudo-Taisho's actions. She could only hope her father wouldn't do anything rash.

"Well?" Noboru demanded, the moment she was in earshot.

She took a deep, calming breath, raising her head to look him in the eye. "They have refused. My father and Mizumi will not surrender."

"WHAT?!" he roared, his form seeming to blur as he strode forward, stopping before her. "You little _bitch_!" he snarled, striking her down with an audible smack that echoed throughout the field. "I gave you specific instructions! I told you to do whatever it took to get him to agree! But you couldn't even do that right, could you?"

Tsukimisou pressed a hand to her stinging cheek, quickly glancing back at her father and Mizumi. From here, she could see he was furious, just barely keeping his emotions under control, one of his hands grasping the hilt of Bakusaiga. Mizumi glanced at the taiyoukai anxiously, saying something that the Taisho girl could not hear; whatever she had said seemed to calm Sesshoumaru down, and reluctantly, he let his grip relax and drew his hand away from his sword.

"Perhaps your father needs to be reminded of exactly who he's dealing with!" Noboru went on, reaching down to roughly seize the Inuyoukai girl by the elbow, dragging her to her feet as he strode toward the boundary line. "Sesshoumaru!" he yelled once he was within a few steps from the line, pushing Tsukimisou down so that she was on her knees.

The taiyoukai glared at the pseudo-Taisho, his brows narrowing with anger. Beside him, Mizumi was scowling, her eyes filled with rage and disbelief.

"Noboru, what are you doing?" she hissed at him.

The Torayoukai ignored her, his silver eyes fixed on the demon lord before him. "You have made a grave mistake in refusing my offer, Sesshoumaru," he growled.

"Oh?"

"Do you not remember? Fourteen years is hardly a long time. Not for us youkai!"

Sesshoumaru gave no reply. The pseudo-Taisho smirked and reached into his haori, withdrawing a small silver knife.

"Do not forget, Sesshoumaru; this is not the first time your daughter's life has been in my hands!" he said, throwing the knife, point down, so that the blade sank into the earth between them.

Tsukimisou stared at the knife intently, finding something familiar about it. Then all-too-suddenly, the memory of the day she had nearly taken her own life as a small child came to mind.

"_What's seppuku?_" she had asked back then.

"_Well, Tsuki-chan_…_you…you take the knife in front of you and…well, it's a game_," a much younger Rin had explained to her.

"_Nee-chan…I'm scared._"

She gasped, her eyes meeting her father's, the flash of recognition in them unmistakable. He had remembered it too. And for the first time, she saw concern reflected back at her—Chichiue never showed emotions like that—for just a moment before the expressionless mask had snapped into place.

And then Noboru was hauling her to her feet, calling for Souzen over his shoulder. The captain of the stealth forces appeared almost instantly, pulling Tsukimisou's arms behind her back and securing them with a length of rope as Noboru withdrew the collar and leash from within his sleeve, fastening it around the Inuyoukai girl's neck.

So Noboru wished to humiliate her, Sesshoumaru thought, he was treating her like a dog, a disobedient pet. But much to the taiyoukai's amazement, Tsukimisou was not embarrassed by the circumstances of her situation. Her posture had straightened, shoulders thrown back, and head held high, embodying the very definition of the noble lady that she was. In her eyes, her resolve burned bright; she would not be broken as easily as this—she would not be intimidated.

Her posture did not falter, not once, as Noboru and Souzen led her away across the field, back to the Tora camp. She carried herself with pride the entire way, at long last, vanishing from view.

The field was silent, empty now. Mizumi stooped down to retrieve the knife, righting herself once she had the hilt of the blade in hand.

"This is a kaiken!" she exclaimed upon examining it. "A seppuku knife!"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Does it mean something to you?"

The taiyoukai's expression hardened. "Noboru is sending me a message," he answered her after a moment's pause. "He will regret using this threat against me." He turned away, making for the Neko camp. "Come. We must inform the others of what has happened, now that negotiations have concluded."

* * *

**A/N:** And there's another one done. Today is August 13, 2012, so this has been several days' worth of hard work. I'm on a very solid thread of plot here, so I imagine the chapters will be written pretty quickly until I run out of steam. Also! For those of you who noticed the † symbol I used in the Sesshoumaru and Zetsuei conversation, that was a footnote. So, here—have an explanation:

† = "By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower." This is an actual quotation from an Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore. After looking it up (because I really liked the quotation), I discovered it talked about how having premarital sex detracts from a woman's beauty. I felt it was quite appropriate for the discussion Sesshoumaru and Zetsuei were having, not to mention that the way it was worded sounded _exactly_ like something Sesshoumaru would say.

Anyway, stay tuned for Ch. 32, wherein we shall see the true significance of the kaiken! See you all next time!

**Updated A/N (4.24.2013):** Wow, I didn't expect this to take this long to get posted. But here we are nearing the end of April. But at least the good thing is now I'm no longer in school. As of March 19, 2013, I finished all my required classes to get my degree. In June, I'll walk in the commencement ceremony and formally receive my bachelor's. In the meantime, I'm looking for a job, and hopefully, god-willing, I'll find one as well as have the time to finally finish this fic up.

But there's no knowing how that'll go. Things have changed a lot for me in the past few months. For instance, I now have two dogs that I rescued from a local no-kill shelter, so taking care of them is like parenting small children and needless to say, a great deal of responsibility that takes up a lot of my time. But anyway, I'll do my best to get this finished. It may take a while but if you stick with me, I promise it'll be well-worth it. Thanks for staying with me this long and being so patient, everyone. It means more than you know.


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